Every screening of A24’s Primetime, the movie chronicling the rise of To Catch a Predator and its host Chris Hansen, will now feature an appearance from Hansen before the film begins.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hansen purchased preshow advertising space to promote his streaming platform, TruBlu, which is described on its YouTube bio as the “home to Chris Hansen’s predator investigations and award-winning true crime programs.”
The ad was created specifically for moviegoers and features Hansen appearing in a kitchen setting, similar to the style of his former television series, before delivering a twist on his famous catchphrase.
“I’m going to need everyone in the theater to take a seat right over there,” Hansen says before transitioning into a direct promotion for TruBlu.
“Now there are more platforms than ever before where this disturbing crime is being committed,” he continues. “Join us undercover every day on my streaming network, TruBlu.”
The advertisement ends with a QR code displayed on screen, directing theatergoers to TruBlu’s website.
Hansen also appeared on FOX News’ Jesse Watters Primetime, where he claimed he went to A24’s offices for a screening of the film but left after declining to sign a legal agreement.
“The lawyers at A24 wanted me to sign away my rights to my name, image and brand essentially, as well as any potential legal rights that would come out of the movie,” Hansen said. “I couldn’t sign that, so they didn’t show me the film. I went all the way over there.”
A source close to A24 told Variety that the agreement Hansen was asked to sign was a standard non-disclosure agreement provided to all preview screening attendees.
Hansen later shared part of the NDA with TMZ, but a source connected to the studio accused him of exaggerating the situation. The source claimed Hansen received the document a week before his scheduled screening but never signed it or returned it with proposed edits.
Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that the original version of Hansen’s ad included a line describing Primetime as “a Hollywood fantasy version” of events, but that section was removed due to concerns about A24’s potential reaction.
Hansen is reportedly consulting with attorneys about his possible legal options following the film’s release.
Directed by Lance Oppenheim, Primetime stars Robert Pattinson as Hansen and is set to arrive in theaters on Sept. 25.
