'Dark Knight' director expresses sorrow over shootings

LOS ANGELES, July 20 (UPI) -- "The Dark Knight Rises" director Christopher Nolan expressed his "profound sorrow" following Friday's massacre at a screening of his film in Colorado.

At least 12 people were killed and 59 were wounded when a man opened fire on a packed movie theater at a midnight showing of the action flick in Aurora.

"Speaking on behalf of the cast and crew of 'The Dark Knight Rises,' I would like to express our profound sorrow at the senseless tragedy that has befallen the entire Aurora community," Nolan said in a statement Friday evening.

"I would not presume to know anything about the victims of the shooting but that they were there last night to watch a movie," he said. "I believe movies are one of the great American art forms and the shared experience of watching a story unfold on-screen is an important and joyful pastime. The movie theater is my home, and the idea that someone would violate that innocent and hopeful place in such an unbearably savage way is devastating to me. ... Nothing any of us can say could ever adequately express our feelings for the innocent victims of this appalling crime, but our thoughts are with them and their families."

James Holmes, 24, has been arrested for the shootings. No possible motive has been disclosed to the public yet.

"The Dark Knight Rises," which is the third and final installment in Nolan's Batman trilogy, has earned mostly positive reviews from critics and was expected to be one of the biggest box-office hits in history. It is unclear what impact, if any, the shootings will have on its success at the box office.