Robert Pattinson and Joker fancasting after Primetime and 9/10 IGN review

• In IGN's review, Primetime scored 9/10; the film is scheduled for September 25, 2026.
• The discussion takes place within James Gunn's separate DC universe, where Barry Keoghan is mentioned in coverage.

What happened

IGN wrote on September 23, 2026 about the online reaction to Robert Pattinson's performance in Primetime. In the film, Pattinson plays Chris Hansen, and according to IGN, that role sparked a wave of fancasting on social media, with fans suggesting him as the Joker. The publication ties those reactions to several posts on X from September 16, 2026, where users wrote that Pattinson's Joker would be “generational.” In the available embeds, that wording is used literally by @woop54, while other quoted posts make the same point.

IGN also says Pattinson was asked about the Joker idea in a September 2026 interview with Entertainment Weekly. The provided excerpt is not complete, but the context in the reporting makes it clear the conversation centered on whether his Primetime performance could push him back toward a DC villain role. Barry Keoghan is mentioned in the same context, although the available material does not fully spell out how Pattinson responded to that reference.

Attention on the film comes not only from the fancasting, but also from Primetime's reception itself. IGN reviewer Siddhant Adlakha gave the film a 9/10 and praised Pattinson's performance. According to IGN, the film is set to release on September 25, 2026. Other external context that appears in search results also confirms that Pattinson plays Chris Hansen in the film and that Primetime is centered on the world of To Catch a Predator.

Background

Primetime is an A24 film in which Robert Pattinson plays Chris Hansen. The available context describes the film as a project centered on the world of To Catch a Predator and the production around that subject. External context also describes the film as a 2026 biographical psychological thriller directed by Lance Oppenheim, with Pattinson in the lead role. That same context says the film is based on the Esquire article “Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die,” underlining the journalistic, true-crime angle of the project.

The Joker discussion is not about an official casting decision, but about fan reactions to Pattinson's performance in Primetime. IGN places those reactions in the broader context of James Gunn's separate DC universe. That matters because the reporting mentions Barry Keoghan in connection with the Joker role, though the available excerpt does not fully confirm how far that association goes. The source material does support that the discussion is about fancasting rather than an announced casting change.

The social reactions IGN cites come from posts on X dated September 16, 2026. In @woop54's embed, it is stated outright that it “really sucks” that Pattinson is Batman, because his Joker would be “generational.” That wording is important because it shows how strong the fan reaction was to a single performance in Primetime. The other quoted posts in IGN's coverage repeat the same idea, framing the online discussion as a broader trend rather than a one-off comment.

Siddhant Adlakha's 9/10 review gives the discussion extra weight. Combined with the planned September 25, 2026 release date, it is clear why the film was already drawing attention on September 23. The mix of a strong review score, a viral performance, and a DC-related fancasting angle explains why IGN treated the topic as newsworthy.

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Sources

• IGN: Robert Pattinson reacts to fans wanting him as Joker after Primetime
• IGN review: Primetime gets 9/10
• Quoted posts on X with fan reactions to Pattinson's Joker potential