The gala premiere in New York City for The Dark Knight Rises included all the glitz and glamour usually associated with such events with stars like Anne Hathaway dressed to the nines on the red carpet, but since this event marks the end of director Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, it was also a time for reflection.

Christian Bale talked to The Hollywood Reporter about his feelings about the end of his tenure as the big screen’s Dark Knight, how he felt when he took off the cowl for the last time: "It was a nice occasion because I took a little bit of time after we wrapped and just said give me a few minutes, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it back on again... and it was funny. It was a surprisingly poignant moment for me."

The star-studded premiere events used to be the final barrage in a film’s publicity campaign, but with all the TV ads, Internet news, viral campaigns, and newspaper and magazine coverage of  the production cycle, the premiere is almost an anachronism now with its effect largely limited to the local area’s TV coverage (and to those who watch Entertainment Tonight).