Robert Pattinson‘s latest thriller has found a second audience at home. The A24 release has climbed into the top ranks of Apple’s digital movie chart. The film arrived on premium video-on-demand shortly after its theatrical run.
Primetime is already a hit on Apple’s digital platform
Primetime, starring Robert Pattinson, arrived on premium video-on-demand. Apple TV lists it for $19.99 to rent or $24.99 to buy. It has landed among iTunes’ leading movie titles, alongside Verity, Godzilla Minus One and The End of Oak Street (via PopVortex).
Set in 2006, Lance Oppenheim’s R-rated film follows Robert Pattinson as Chris Hansen, the host of To Catch a Predator, who is chasing a career-defining television moment through the show’s controversial sting operations.
But when an operation ends in a fatal accident, the pursuit of a ratings-grabbing scoop spirals into a crisis, forcing questions about where journalism ends and justice becomes entertainment. Ajon Singh penned the screenplay, adapting Luke Dittrich’s Esquire article, Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die.
The film boasts a packed supporting cast, with Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers, Matthew Maher and Bokeem Woodbine joining Pattinson on screen. The Batman actor also serves as a producer, teaming up with Ari Aster, Fred Berger, Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Lars Knudsen, Brighton McCloskey and William Iannaccone. A24 brought the 109-minute feature to theaters September 25.
The early reception has been pretty solid, with critics giving the film plenty of love. Rotten Tomatoes lists an 86% critics’ score from 270 reviews, alongside a 78% audience rating based on more than 2,500 verified ratings.
IMDb users have also given it a respectable 7.7 out of 10. Pattinson’s performance and the way Oppenheim presents the movie visually have impressed many. However, some have aimed at the film’s overall perspective.
Hansen has pushed back hard against the film’s depiction of events. Hansen told Fox News that the movie is “detached from reality.” He also took issue with Pattinson’s portrayal, calling it overly dramatic (via Variety).
The movie had a reported production budget of $15 million and earned roughly $57.3 million worldwide.
