The long-awaited conclusion to Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises, is released worldwide tomorrow (July 20).
Speaking to Digital Spy at the film's European premiere last night, stars Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Morgan Freeman and Joseph Gordon-Levitt reflected on their characters and the experience of shooting what has become the most anticipated movie of the year.
"The Joker was there to watch the world burn," Hardy mused, when comparing his Bane to Heath Ledger's iconic villain from The Dark Knight. "Bane's the type of guy that's gonna blow it up, straight away."
Freeman also spoke about the differences between Nolan's 2008 Batman sequel and this film, revealing that his character Lucius Fox acts as "a cohort" to Bruce Wayne in The Dark Knight Rises, rather than a father figure.
"He's an idealist," Gordon-Levitt said of Gotham police offer John Blake. "Gotham has become a cynical place – the rich are getting richer and no-one's asking a lot of questions – but Blake's the kind of young man who will raise his hand."
Meanwhile, Hathaway recalled her final and most memorable moment on set, shooting a rooftop scene with Christian Bale.
"It was my last day, and it was Christian's last time in the Batsuit and we were on top of a god-knows-how-many storey building in Manhattan, and there was a full moon," she described. "It was just goosebump-inducing."
> 'Batman' revisited: 'Batman Begins' and 'The Dark Knight'
> 'The Dark Knight Rises' world premiere - pictures
> Lord of the Rings inspired Dark Knight Rises, says Christopher Nolan
Dark Knight Rises premiere pictures:
Movies: The Dark Knight Rises UK Premiere - In Pictures
Emma Dibdin is a freelance writer based in Los Angeles who writes about culture, mental health, and true crime. She loves owls, hates cilantro, and can find the queer subtext in literally anything.
