The Vampire Guy from Twilight

Timothy Lukasik, Contributing Writer

I had an accounting test today so naturally I spent all of last night on Instagram reels instead of studying. One post caught my attention. It was regarding actor Robert Pattinson and his legendary run of movies in 2026. Pattinson’s most recent film, “Primetime,” hit theaters on Sept. 25. The plot is inspired by true events, following and dramatizing the making of the 2000s reality TV show “To Catch a Predator,” with Pattinson starring as the show’s host, Chris Hansen.

In classic A24 (the studio behind the film) fashion, “Primetime” was a visual masterpiece. The colorwork really made you feel at home in the 2000s, with the slightly hazy, CRT TV filter on the screen, the shimmery glow on all the shots and a 1.33:1 TV–style aspect–ratio to mimic early 2000s television. 

The story itself was also super fascinating. Although Chris Hansen takes the spotlight thanks to Pattinson’s captivating performance, the film gives a sizable portion of its runtime to follow other characters and their personal arcs regarding their work on the show. One such character is Decoy Dan, an aspiring actor who gets tossed into the deep on upon joining “To Catch a Predator.” We also get to see the show’s producer, Andie, as she grapples with trying to respond to Chris’ antics whilst upholding the demanding, often luck–based production of the show. 

The casting choice for these two along with the movie as a whole is so perfect. Everyone is a tad odd in their looks and demeanors. It's a group of flawed yet endearing characters, which really gets you to root for them, thanks in part to their synergy. Even the casting of the background characters feels fitting, making the movie feel super filled out and grounded in reality. 

Despite everyone else’s stellar performances, no one manages to outshine Pattinson as Chris Hansen. Hansen is portrayed as a bit quirky, energetic and almost insane. His demeanor and actions are all a bit estranged as the lines between his television host persona and real self get blurred. Pattinson’s attention to subtle details in his performance, along with his ability to depict heavy intensities all over the emotion spectrum, make Hansen such a staple. His arc is also the biggest in the film, as his goals of getting the best ratings and airing on primetime slowly get replaced with him believing he is actually a means of justice against evil in the world. This evil is exemplified with physical imagery of demons. 

Frequently we get liminal, out of body shots from Hansen’s mind where we see creatures and real horrors. It keeps the viewers on their toes, and, visually, it serves as an enticing storytelling device. Between all this, all the memorable scenes and quotable lines, I really enjoyed this movie and believe it's absolutely worth a watch. Matter of fact, one of my biggest gripes is that the movie wasn’t longer because I loved following these characters so much. 

Despite all the praise I’m giving to “Primetime,” it isn’t actually my favorite Pattinson movie of 2026. That title belongs to another film that is severely underpraised and deserves way more recognition. On April 3rd, “The Drama” co–starring Robert Pattinson and Zendaya came out. Recency bias has managed to bury this movie in Pattinson’s filmography, but it desperately deserves more praise. It takes everything good I said about the cinematography of this film and adds way more emotion. I’ve never felt more stressed or weighed more moral dilemmas than this movie. It's absolutely worth a watch if you get the chance and best to go in blind. The story being a surprise allows you to feel the shock that the characters feel as things are unveiled!

Between “Primetime,” “The Drama,” “The Odyssey” that came out over the summer and the third installment to the “Dune” series coming out this winter, it's safe to say that Pattinson’s on a great streak this year and is curating one of the most diverse and successful filmographies of the recent years.