Robert Pattinson Recalls ‘Primetime’ Script Feeling Like a ‘Grenade’ as A24 Thriller Premieres in London: It Was ‘Original and Funny… and a Little Dangerous’
Robert Pattinson delighted London Film Festival on Sunday night as he introduced his latest film, “Primetime,” to an eager audience at BFI Imax.
Sporting a dark grey suit and slicked-back hair, Pattinson explained why he decided to come on board the psychological thriller not only as its lead — he portrays former “To Catch a Predator” host Chris Hansen — but as a producer. He was joined on stage by director Lance Oppenheim, writer Ajon Singh and co-star Merritt Wever.
“Ajon had written this script when, as soon as you read it, it felt like it was a grenade,” Pattinson recalled. “And then to find that no one was doing anything with it, it feels like you’ve stolen something. So you’re literally just like, ‘I want to make this right now.'”
Turning to Singh, Pattinson continued: “I think I called you like, the day after I read it. And I just knew it was going to be something interesting. And then we got Lance on in less than a week, and I think within two weeks it was already happening.”
As a producer and actor, Pattinson said he was “just looking for something in the writing that’s kind of electrifying and you think is going to be surprising to audiences.” His signature silly charm came out when he made a face to the crowd and added, “I don’t want to ruin it for everyone and be like, ‘It’s really surprising!’ And then you’re going to be like, ‘It’s not surprising at all!’ But to me, it was surprising. And it just felt original and funny and multi-faceted, everything you want, a little dangerous. And I knew there was going to be something special out of it.”
Robert Pattinson on why he wanted to star in and produce #Primetime at its London Film Festival premiere:“I was just looking for something in the writing that’s kind of electrifying and you think is going to be surprising for audiences. I don’t want to ruin it for everyone and… pic.twitter.com/LoQ5yF0hUx
The A24 film first premiered at Venice Film Festival last month, where it received a warm reception, scoring a seven-minute standing ovation. “Primetime” hit U.S. theaters on Sept. 25, becoming a breakout box office hit by grossing $38 million so far against a $14.5 million budget, and is set to release in the U.K. on Oct. 30.
“Primetime” follows Hansen, then the host of Dateline NBC’s “To Catch a Predator,” as he takes the show about catching suspected child predators into a primetime slot. Loosely based on the 2007 “Esquire” article “Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die,” the movie questions the ethics of Hansen’s methods on the show, which ultimately ended in 2008 after backlash. The filmmakers have been open that the film was not meant as a biopic, but rather a stylized retelling.
Hansen has had plenty to say about the movie and Pattinson’s portrayal of him, telling Variety after he’d seen the movie that it is a “complete work of fiction.”
“Robert Pattinson’s a very good actor. And I think a lot of people would find it flattering that this guy would be cast to portray me,” he said. “But the way it was done is certainly not flattering. And so what’s the larger point for Hollywood here?”
Asked if he had a message for Hansen at the Venice press conference for the film, Pattinson said he still had hope its subject would come around.
“Obviously, I hope he likes the movie,” Pattinson said. “There’s something electrifying about him. I would hope the amount of inspiration his character has given a lot of people for years is some kind of compliment.”
Sporting a dark grey suit and slicked-back hair, Pattinson explained why he decided to come on board the psychological thriller not only as its lead — he portrays former “To Catch a Predator” host Chris Hansen — but as a producer. He was joined on stage by director Lance Oppenheim, writer Ajon Singh and co-star Merritt Wever.
“Ajon had written this script when, as soon as you read it, it felt like it was a grenade,” Pattinson recalled. “And then to find that no one was doing anything with it, it feels like you’ve stolen something. So you’re literally just like, ‘I want to make this right now.'”
Turning to Singh, Pattinson continued: “I think I called you like, the day after I read it. And I just knew it was going to be something interesting. And then we got Lance on in less than a week, and I think within two weeks it was already happening.”
As a producer and actor, Pattinson said he was “just looking for something in the writing that’s kind of electrifying and you think is going to be surprising to audiences.” His signature silly charm came out when he made a face to the crowd and added, “I don’t want to ruin it for everyone and be like, ‘It’s really surprising!’ And then you’re going to be like, ‘It’s not surprising at all!’ But to me, it was surprising. And it just felt original and funny and multi-faceted, everything you want, a little dangerous. And I knew there was going to be something special out of it.”
Robert Pattinson on why he wanted to star in and produce #Primetime at its London Film Festival premiere:“I was just looking for something in the writing that’s kind of electrifying and you think is going to be surprising for audiences. I don’t want to ruin it for everyone and… pic.twitter.com/LoQ5yF0hUx
The A24 film first premiered at Venice Film Festival last month, where it received a warm reception, scoring a seven-minute standing ovation. “Primetime” hit U.S. theaters on Sept. 25, becoming a breakout box office hit by grossing $38 million so far against a $14.5 million budget, and is set to release in the U.K. on Oct. 30.
“Primetime” follows Hansen, then the host of Dateline NBC’s “To Catch a Predator,” as he takes the show about catching suspected child predators into a primetime slot. Loosely based on the 2007 “Esquire” article “Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die,” the movie questions the ethics of Hansen’s methods on the show, which ultimately ended in 2008 after backlash. The filmmakers have been open that the film was not meant as a biopic, but rather a stylized retelling.
Hansen has had plenty to say about the movie and Pattinson’s portrayal of him, telling Variety after he’d seen the movie that it is a “complete work of fiction.”
“Robert Pattinson’s a very good actor. And I think a lot of people would find it flattering that this guy would be cast to portray me,” he said. “But the way it was done is certainly not flattering. And so what’s the larger point for Hollywood here?”
Asked if he had a message for Hansen at the Venice press conference for the film, Pattinson said he still had hope its subject would come around.
“Obviously, I hope he likes the movie,” Pattinson said. “There’s something electrifying about him. I would hope the amount of inspiration his character has given a lot of people for years is some kind of compliment.”