The Denver shootings have left the future of the $250 million film in doubt and thrown its carefully choreographed launch into disarray.
The Dark Knight Rises was on course to be this summer's biggest blockbuster with worldwide box office takings due to surpass $1 billion (£640 million).
The Denver shootings have left the future of the $250 million film in doubt and thrown its carefully choreographed launch into disarray.
The shock has forced its makers Warner Brothers to cancel a premiere in Paris and is said to have left the cast and crew "absolutely devastated".
Its stars have abandoned interviews and cinema chains, on both sides of the Atlantic, were considering whether to proceed with the opening this weekend.
Privately, they indicated that any decision would depend on whether the killer took any motivation from the film. Even if they go ahead as scheduled, many fans have said they will "boycott" the show as a mark of respect for the dead.
Last night, Warner Bros would not be drawn on whether plans to withdraw or suspend the film were being considered. In a statement, the company extended "our sincere sympathies to the families and loved ones of the victims".
Warner Bros also confirmed that it had withdrawn trailers for a forthcoming film, Gangster Squad, which were due to play before screenings of The Dark Knight Rises. One scene in Gangster Squad features men with machine guns opening fire on a cinema audience.
Many cinemas are offering refunds or re-booking viewers to later dates. Some theatres, like the Odeon in Leicester Square, London, tightened security and carried out baggage checks on those attending the premiere yesterday.
Ticket sales for The Dark Knight Rises were expected to at least match those of its predecessor The Dark Knight, which took more than $1 billion worldwide. High-profile premieres had already taken place in London and New York and its stars, including Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway and Tom Hardy, were in the middle of a publicity campaign.
The events in Denver have turned the preparations on their head. Bale, the lead in The Dark Knight Rises, was among those staying at the Bristol Hotel in Paris when news of the atrocity was reported. "They are all in a state of shock, absolutely devastated," said a source.
The film's release across France on July 25 has also been placed in doubt.
In Britain, there were calls by some for the film to be boycotted. One person commenting about the news on the internet pledged to "never watch it".
British cinema chains were understood to be talking to one other about how to proceed. Spokespersons for Vue cinemas and for Cineworld both expressed their shock at the events. The Vue spokesman said it was "liaising with the relevant authorities" in light of the shootings.
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