Robert Pattinson’s Primetime Is Exploding with Hype, Could A24 Have Its Next Big Hit?

Robert Pattinson may have another major hit on his hands. His new A24 movie Primetime is already getting plenty of attention before its wide theatrical release, and the latest Rotten Tomatoes results have made the excitement even bigger. The true-crime drama has quickly become one of the more talked-about movies of the fall, with critics praising Pattinson’s performance and early box office tracking suggesting that the film could become one of A24’s strongest openers.

Primetime comes from filmmaker Lance Oppenheim, who is making his move from documentaries into narrative movies. The film takes inspiration from the story of Chris Hansen and the rise of To Catch a Predator. Pattinson plays a fictionalized version of Hansen during the period when the television host became widely known for his controversial investigations. The movie first made noise at the Venice Film Festival, where it reportedly received a nine-minute standing ovation.

That festival reaction has now been followed by an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score. After a correction to the site’s rating, Primetime is currently sitting at 93% from critics. That does not automatically guarantee a huge audience, but it gives the movie a strong starting point as A24 prepares to bring it to theaters. The early tracking is also encouraging, with projections putting the opening weekend somewhere between $15 million and $22 million domestically.

For Pattinson, the attention adds to what has already been an unusually busy year. The actor has appeared in several major projects, including The Drama with Zendaya and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. He is also expected to return for Dune: Part Three. Primetime gives him another chance to show how far he has moved from the roles that first made him famous, and early reviews suggest that he is once again taking on a character that is far outside his comfort zone.

Critics have especially focused on Pattinson’s transformation into Hansen. Rather than simply copying the real-life television personality, he reportedly brings his own strange energy to the role. That approach has helped make the performance one of the main talking points surrounding the movie. Merritt Wever and Skyler Gisondo have also received positive attention, while musician Phoebe Bridgers makes her acting debut in the film.

The possible box office result is just as interesting. According to the reported tracking, even a $15 million opening would put Primetime among A24’s stronger debuts. Hereditary previously opened with around $13.6 million and became one of the studio’s most successful launches for years. A24 has since reached a much higher level, with Civil War opening to $25.7 million and Backrooms reportedly setting a massive new record with an $81.4 million debut earlier this year.

There is also some real-world controversy following Primetime into theaters. Chris Hansen has reportedly criticized the production after claiming that A24 rejected him from a private screening when he would not sign documents connected to the movie. Hansen has also reportedly arranged advertisements to appear before screenings, using the attention around the film to promote his own streaming service. That situation has added another layer of publicity to an already heavily discussed release.

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