Chris Hansen, widely recognized for his role in the Dateline NBC series "To Catch a Predator," has implemented a unique marketing strategy for his streaming service, TruBlu. Advertisements for the platform are now being shown before every screening of "Primetime," the upcoming A24 film that dramatizes Hansen's rise to fame.
Exclusive footage obtained by The Hollywood Reporter reveals that the advertisement features Hansen addressing the audience directly. "I’m going to need everyone in the theater to take a seat right over there," he says, a nod to his signature hosting style. The trailer also includes a QR code, directing viewers to join his streaming network, TruBlu, which focuses on true crime content including undercover stings and investigative documentaries.
Hansen's initial plan reportedly included a line calling "Primetime" a "Hollywood fantasy version" of real events. However, this was reportedly removed from the final advertisement due to concerns about potential backlash from A24.
"Primetime," set to release in theaters on September 25, 2026, stars Robert Pattinson as Chris Hansen. The film draws inspiration from a 2007 Esquire article by Luke Dittrich, which chronicled the story of Texas District Attorney Bill Conradt, who died by suicide after becoming the subject of one of Hansen's investigations.
Hansen himself declined a preliminary screening of the film, citing a "very restrictive agreement" from A24 that he claims would have required him to sign away rights to his name, image, and brand, as well as any potential legal rights stemming from the movie. Sources close to the situation, however, told The Hollywood Reporter that Hansen was merely asked to sign a standard non-disclosure agreement to prevent spoilers and protect the studio's intellectual property.