Chris Hansen, the former "To Catch a Predator" host immortalized in A24's new thriller "Primetime," is capitalizing on the film's theatrical release by buying ad space before screenings to promote his own true-crime streaming network.
The move shows Hansen's savvy understanding of audience crossover. A24's "Primetime," written by Ajon Singh and starring Robert Pattinson as Hansen, targets cinephiles and thriller audiences primed to engage with prestige independent cinema. Those same viewers represent a valuable demographic for a true-crime streaming venture. By placing ads directly before the film, Hansen reaches an audience already thinking about his life story and legacy.
"Primetime" marks an intriguing cultural moment for Hansen. Pattinson's casting signals A24's commitment to prestige production values, elevating what could have been a straightforward biographical film into something more complex and darkly comedic. The film explores Hansen's life beyond his most famous work, examining the ethics and cost of his predator-hunting crusade. A24 has positioned the project as a character study rather than a simple retelling, which adds layers to Hansen's own use of the film's platform.
Hansen's involvement with "To Catch a Predator," which ran from 2004 to 2007 on NBC, defined a generation's understanding of online child safety. The hidden-camera series became a cultural phenomenon, blending public service with entertainment spectacle in ways that still spark debate among media critics. His subsequent ventures, including podcasts and streaming content, have kept him relevant in the true-crime space even as the genre itself has exploded across Netflix, Hulu, Max, and countless specialty networks.
The advertising strategy reflects the blurred lines between documentary subjects and brand builders in the true-crime era. Hansen is not just a historical figure documented in "Primetime." He is an active entrepreneur leveraging A24's marketing spend and theatrical reach to build his own streaming presence. This kind of symbiotic relationship between film subjects and their on-screen representations has become standard in prestige true-crime projects.
A24 has built its brand on unconventional projects that challenge genre expectations. "Primetime" fits that pattern by treating Hansen's story through a thriller lens rather than the documentary or biographical framework audiences might expect. The studio's decision to greenlight the film suggests confidence that audiences remain fascinated by Hansen's contradictions, the ethics of his methods, and his outsized personality.
Hansen's ad purchase also signals confidence in the film's box office performance and cultural footprint. A24 releases typically earn strong word-of-mouth and attract dedicated festival audiences before wide theatrical expansion. By securing ad space, Hansen is betting that "Primetime" will draw enough viewers to justify the investment in promoting his streaming network to that specific crowd.
The convergence of "Primetime" and Hansen's network expansion represents a broader pattern in entertainment. True-crime subjects increasingly become their own brands and platforms. Hansen built his original reputation on moral clarity and investigative rigor, but his post-network career shows an entertainer adapting to streaming economics and direct-to-audience engagement. The film serves as both portrait and marketing tool, validating his cultural significance while creating new revenue streams.