In a surprising turn of events, Chris Hansen, the former host of To Catch a Predator, is embroiled in a dispute with the producers of Primetime, a film inspired by the NBC series. The tension stems from Hansen’s refusal to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before watching an early screening of the movie.
Disagreement Over NDA
Hansen appeared on Fox News on Thursday to elaborate on the situation. He revealed that he visited the A24 offices in New York to preview Primetime ahead of its premiere at the Venice Film Festival next month. However, he was presented with an NDA that, according to his legal team, was too restrictive for him to agree to. “The lawyers at A24 wanted me to sign away my rights to my name, image and, you know, brand essentially, as well as any potential legal rights that would come out of the movie,” Hansen told host Jesse Watters. “I couldn’t sign that, so they didn’t show me the film. I went all the way up there… It was a very restrictive agreement.”
🚨 BREAKING: @ChrisHansen UNVEILS MOVIE EXECUTIVES REFUSED to show him his OWN MOVIE… tried to make him SIGN AN NDA 🚨
“I was supposed to see it at 10:00 this MORNING. The LAWYERS wanted me to sign away my RIGHTS TO MY NAME, IMAGE, AND BRAND.”
“It was a very restrictive… pic.twitter.com/SB0ynFlsPP
— Jesse Watters (@JesseBWatters) August 21, 2026
Producers Respond
In response, a source close to the film told Rolling Stone that the NDA presented to Hansen was standard protocol for preview audiences. The NDA aimed to prevent spoilers and safeguard the studio’s intellectual property. This source claimed that the agreement did not involve relinquishing rights to Hansen’s name or brand. Despite this, Hansen chose not to sign the NDA and, as a result, did not view the film. Hansen has yet to publicly comment on the source’s assertions.
Hansen’s Perspective
“I haven’t seen the film,” Hansen stated during his Fox News appearance. “If you look at the trailer, obviously it’s a very dramatized version. They had told me that it’s fictionalized in many aspects. I know other people have seen it who didn’t sign an NDA, and yet they wanted me to sign it.” He emphasized that he has “no financial stake in this film” and was unaware of its production until filming had begun. “I’m just a working reporter, and I’m not learned in the sophisticated ways of Hollywood. But I find stuff out,” he said, noting his experience as an investigative reporter spanning four decades.
Awaiting the Premiere
Despite the ongoing disagreement over the NDA, Hansen relayed that he had received a call expressing concern about his feelings towards the film. “Well, you know, everybody’s concerned. They want you to be happy with the film,” he recounted. “Well, then why didn’t you tell me about it when you started shooting the film?” As the anticipation builds, Hansen will now have to wait until Primetime hits theaters on September 25 to see how Robert Pattinson interprets his character.
