Robert Pattinson has another hit on his hands. A24’s Primetime pulled in a strong $19.2 million from 2,863 North American locations, giving the studio one of its best debuts yet, even as Marvel’s rerelease machine dominated the overall box office weekend.
Where Primetime ranked at the box office during its debut
Primetime settled at No. 4 domestically, trailing three bigger releases. Lance Oppenheim directed the crime drama, and Ajon Singh wrote it based on Luke Dittrich’s 2007 Esquire article, with Robert Pattinson as “To Catch a Predator” host Chris Hansen. Produced for just $15 million, Primetime has already put itself in a position to turn a theatrical profit (via Variety).
The opening stands as the biggest A24 debut for any Pattinson movie, beating The Drama’s $14.4 million. Younger audiences drove the Primetime box office performance. Sixty-nine percent of ticket buyers were under 30.
CinemaScore respondents handed the film a B grade, a predictable outcome given its unsettling subject matter. The story follows Chris Hansen’s real-life sting operations targeting child sexual predators. Hansen himself watched the finished film and called it “so bizarre” and “detached from reality.”
The film premiered in competition at the Venice International Film Festival before opening September 25. Skyler Gisondo, Merritt Wever, Phoebe Bridgers, Anna Faris, Alex Winter, Bokeem Woodbine, Tony Revolori, and Jeff Zucker roround out the supporting cast.
Avengers: Endgame Encore claimed the top spot with $26 million domestically and $86 million worldwide. The Heart of the Beast placed third with $20 million, a soft result against its $82 million budget. Holdover horror hit Resident Evil took second.
For A24, Primetime signals continued strength in original adult-skewing fare. For Robert Pattinson, it adds another commercial win to a filmography that keeps expanding its range. If Primetime follows a similar trajectory, it could finish its run near $180 million, which would push it past both The Drama and Best Picture winner Everything Everywhere All at Once on A24’s all-time worldwide chart.
