Paris cancels Dark Knight premiere

The Paris premiere of the new Batman film The Dark Knight Rises has been cancelled after the massacre at a US opening of the movie.

Workers pulled down the red carpet display in front of a cinema on the Champs-Elysees, while some could be seen carrying away a large mask that had adorned the facade of the theatre.

The night before in a Denver suburb, a man wearing a gas mask released an unknown gas into a crowded cinema and opened fire. Twelve people were killed and at least 50 wounded.

Media interviews with cast members Anne Hathaway, Morgan Freeman and Christian Bale and director Christopher Nolan are said to have been cancelled in the wake of the shooting. According to The Hollywood Reporter, journalists at a press conference for the film were told to leave, and Marion Cotillard also cancelled an appearance on French TV.

Warner Bros said in a statement: "Warner Bros and the filmmakers are deeply saddened to learn about this shocking incident. We extend our sincere sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims at this tragic time."

Meanwhile, the film's director Christopher Nolan called the Colorado cinema massacre a "senseless tragedy" and "devastating".

Nolan said films were a great American art form and watching one was an important and joyful pastime. He called the cinema his home, and said committing violence against innocent people there was savage and "devastating".

He added that the cast and crew's thoughts were with the victims and their families.

The Dark Knight Rises is the final film in Nolan's Batman trilogy.