Bale's 'bitter-sweet' end to Batman

Christian Bale has revealed that hanging up his Batman cape and cowl is a "bitter-sweet" feeling.

The Oscar-winning star, who has portrayed the Dark Knight in all three of Christopher Nolan's films, will play the superhero for the third and final time in The Dark Knight Rises.

"I wasn't sure that Chris was going to make a third one, and it's meant a great deal in my life, so it is bitter-sweet. But he's saying it is time to say goodbye, so it's time to say goodbye," he said.

Christian - who stars alongside Tom Hardy and Anne Hathaway in the third instalment - admitted his seven-year-old daughter Emmeline has not seen the films.

"Well, she's not really old enough to watch any of the movies at all so she hasn't seen them yet," he said.

"She's seen some pictures, she'd come and visit the set but we'll wait until she's seen the movies. I do the voice for her."

The Dark Knight Rises opens in cinemas on July 20.