Batman events cancelled in wake of theatre shooting

Warner Bros. Pictures says it has cancelled appearances by the cast and filmmakers of the movie "The Dark Knight Rises" in Mexico and Japan after a shooter killed 12 people and injured at least 50 Friday in a Colorado theater during a midnight premiere of the newest Batman movie.

The studio says actors Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway and Joseph Gordon Levitt will no longer hold press or red carpet events on Monday at Mexico City's National Auditorium.

Bale, who plays the caped crusader in the film, said Saturday that his heart goes out to the victims of the Colorado shootings, a tragedy that brought Hollywood studios together in a rare show of solidarity as they opted to give the weekend box-office a rest.   "Words cannot express the horror that I feel," Bale said in a statement. "I cannot begin to truly understand the pain and grief of the victims and their loved ones, but my heart goes out to them."

Also on Saturday, A broadcaster says the Finnish film industry has cancelled large parts of its marketing campaign for the new Batman movie because of massacre in Colorado.

YLE television says Finnish movie distributor FS-Film's entire Internet campaign for "The Dark Knight Rises" has temporarily been shut down and that TV spots have been withdrawn. It was not clear Saturday how long the suspension would last, but it may only be this weekend.

The shooting also prompted officials to cancel the red-carpet premiere in Paris Friday, and some U.S. movie theaters  tepped up security for daytime showings.

The film's director, Christopher Nolan, issued a statement on behalf of the cast and crew, expressing their "profound sorrow at the senseless tragedy."

"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," Nolan said.

The U.S. National Association of Theater Owners offered "hearts and prayers" to the victims in a statement that emphasized that guest safety remains a priority for its members, who are "working closely with local law enforcement agencies and reviewing security procedures."

Moviegoers making their way to theatres will face increased security and, in some places, bag checks. AMC Theaters, the country's second-largest movie chain, said it would not allow costumed fans or face-covered masks into its theatres.

The sentiment was echoed north of the border. Canadian theatre chain Cineplex said it has security measures in place across its venues and will donate a portion of Friday's box office proceeds to a violence-prevention charity.

"We are shocked and saddened by last night's tragedy in Aurora, Colorado, and extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of those affected. The safety and security of our guests remains our top priority, and while we believe this was an isolated incident, we have security measures in place for our upcoming shows," the Canadian theatre giant said in a statement.

"Cineplex Entertainment will donate a portion of the proceeds from tonight's box office to the Red Cross RespectED: Violence and Abuse Prevention program. This program provides violence and abuse prevention education in schools and communities across Canada."

Studios show solidarity

Hollywood studios are aligning in a rare show of solidarity to give their weekend box-office reporting a rest because of the shootings in Colorado at a screening of "The Dark Knight Rises."

Sony, Fox, Disney and Universal said Saturday that they are joining "Dark Knight Rises" distributor Warner Bros. in withholding their box-office numbers for the weekend.

Warner announced Friday that it would forgo the usual revenue reports until Monday out of respect for the victims and their families in the shooting that killed 12 and wounded 58 at the midnight show earlier in the day.

Sunday box-office estimates are a weekly routine for Hollywood, with studios jostling for bragging rights as the No. 1 movie and always aiming to break revenue records.

Some fans undeterred

The shooting is definitely on the minds of moviegoers, but it wasn't a deterrent to those who turned up for a midday screening in downtown Toronto.

"It certainly set a different mood for today," Adam Glen, a Toronto man queuing for a midday screening of The Dark Knight Rises, told CBC News on Friday.

"I mean, obviously, my thoughts and prayers are with the people in Colorado. It's a terrible thing to happen.… [For] people who went last night at midnight and people here today, it's an exciting event and to have this shadow over it is just awful. But it didn't change my excitement for the movie and I'm sure it didn't change many other peoples' as well."