Pattinson's 'Primetime' Gives A24 Its Third-Biggest Opening
Robert Pattinson has given A24 the third-biggest opening weekend in its history.
“Primetime” earned $19.2 million in domestic theatres, the United States and Canada, from 2,863 venues for the weekend of 25 to 27 September, in studio estimates reported on 28 September via Variety. Star power did the work. More than 75% of ticket buyers named Pattinson as their main reason for going, according to PostTrak, a survey of cinema audiences.
The true-crime thriller started fast. It took second place on Friday, 25 September, with $8.49 million from 2,874 locations, according to Variety. By the end of the weekend it ranked fourth domestically, behind “Avengers: Endgame Encore” with $26 million, Sony’s “Resident Evil” reboot with $23 million and Paramount’s “The Heart of the Beast” with $20 million.
“Primetime” stars Pattinson as Chris Hansen, the Dateline NBC journalist who hosted “To Catch a Predator”. Directed by Lance Oppenheim, it follows Hansen in 2006 as the hidden-camera segment moved from “Dateline NBC” to its own primetime slot. A24 billed the film as “inspired by true events” rather than a biopic. It had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a seven-minute ovation, according to Variety.
The audience was young. About 69% of opening-weekend ticket buyers were under 30. The film holds an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a review-aggregation site, and received a “B” grade on CinemaScore, which polls opening-night audiences.
The numbers put it ahead of Pattinson’s recent A24 history and the company’s wider slate. It opened above A24’s “Marty Supreme”, which started with $15.7 million, and above Pattinson’s prior A24 film “The Drama” with Zendaya, which opened to $14.3 million domestically. A24’s two bigger starts remain “Backrooms” with $81.4 million and “Civil War” with $25.5 million. “Primetime” cost $15 million to produce, before marketing costs.
Hansen has responded separately. He posted a 20-minute reaction video to his YouTube channel, “Have A Seat With Chris Hansen”, on Friday, 25 September. In August, speaking on Fox News’ “Jesse Watters Primetime”, he said he left A24’s offices without seeing the film because of a legal agreement the company wanted him to sign.
What makes this stand out is the shape of the chart. Three franchise and studio titles finished ahead, while an original, low-budget release built around one actor drew a young crowd and still set a company record.
