Batman Fans Rise to Catch Thursday Night Premiere of 'Dark Knight Rises' in Foxborough

Thursday night's crowd for the midnight premiere of "Batman: Dark Knight Rises" at _ wasn't overwhelming but the fans of Christopher Nolan's trilogy who did make it out to Foxborough's theater did not disappoint.

From vintage Batman shirts to full-sized costumes, some fans eager to see the final chapter of Nolan's Dark Knight films were in character as they waited in the Showcase Cinemas lobby at Patriot Place.

One couple from nearby Mansfield, who would only identify themselves as "Bruce Wayne" and "Rachel Dawes" - two well-known characters in the storyline - were enthusiastic about Thursday's premiere.

The man, "Bruce," was wearing a Batman cape and a vintage black Batman t-shirt. The woman, "Rachel," described as Bruce's closest childhood friend, was also wearing a vintage Batman t-shirt. The couple said they had been waiting to see "Dark Knight Rises" since both saw "Dark Knight" at the 2008 premiere.

"I can't believe we're finally going to see this," Bruce said. "It's been like Christmas Eve all day and in a short hour I get to open my present."

Rachel shared her boyfriend's enthusiasm.

"I'm really excited to see this movie," she said. " I've been counting down the months and like Bruce here, I feel like a little kid during Christmas."

Another fan waited in the lobby in a full Batman costume took time to pose for a photo with fellow fans in the lobby but the fans of the night were a group of friends that arrived dressed as various characters from the trilogy.

One was dressed up as Bane – villain of "The Dark Knight Rises"; another came dressed as the Joker in a nurse outfit from "The Dark Knight"; one was dressed up as the Riddler (a famous enemy of Batman) and the fourth friend in the group, a man, was dressed up as Catwoman.

Fans of the Batman trilogy did not end at the ticket line as some of Showcase Cinemas' employees got in on the action as well.

Concession stand attendant Keith O'Neil of Millis, a Batman fan for 26 years, got to be the "Caped Crusader" for a night.

"I [was] dressed as Batman along with another co-worker, Chelsea McSweeney, pushing a concession cart around the theater," O'Neil said. "Some people dream of being Batman; I got to be him for one night. I was the concessionist Foxborough needed, not the one it deserved."

This wasn't O'Neil's first midnight premiere he's worked, recalling the Harry Potter premiere last summer in Lowell was the biggest opening night he's ever seen.

"I've never seen so many people dressed up as wizards and other creatures in my life," O'Neil said. "You could just tell that people were really excited for it."

As for Thursday night, O'Neil noted there weren't too many costumes in the crowd and with the movie not selling out at Showcase Cinemas; he believed the night was missing something.

"I'd say compared to the Harry Potter midnight showing last summer in Lowell, there was just a little less excitement in the air," O'Neil said. "I think that is because there were a lot less children at the 'Dark Knight Rises' premiere. I'm not surprised since this is a much more mature series compared to Harry Potter."

O'Neil says he has been a Batman fan since birth and the first movie he remembers seeing starred the "Caped Crusader."

"The first movie I ever remember seeing in theaters was the 1989 Batman film with Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson," O'Neil said. "I remember standing outside with my father and brother and there was this huge line wrapped around the theater."

As for seeing "The Dark Knight Rises" for himself, O'Neil said he will have to wait until Sunday.

"It is going to be very difficult waiting until Sunday," O'Neil said. "But I think it'll be worth it. I'm excited cause it is the final movie in the trilogy. Every time I saw a new trailer pop up, I got more excited each time. It is a different take on Batman, but a good different."

O'Neil added a fun fact about his enthusiasm for movies. While he was attending college in New Hampshire, he interned online for Warner Brothers.

"One movie I helped market was 'The Dark Knight' ... still waiting for that thank you note from Christopher Nolan," O'Neil said jokingly. "What I was in charge of was making sure nothing leaked online that wasn’t supposed to be there."

For those looking to see "The Dark Knight Rises" this weekend, here's a list of showtimes at Foxborough's Showcase Cinemas.

Saturday Showtimes:

DIGITAL PROJECTION

  11:30am,  Noon,  12:45pm,  1:30pm,  3:00pm,  3:45pm,  4:15pm,  5:00pm,  6:35pm,  7:20pm,  7:50pm,  8:35pm,  10:10pm,  11:00pm,  11:00pm,  11:30pm,  Midnight

Lux Level

  11:30am,  Noon,  3:00pm,  3:45pm,  6:35pm,  7:20pm,  10:10pm

RWC IN DIGITAL PROJECTION

  11:00am,  2:30pm,  6:05pm,  9:40pm

Lux Level

  11:00am,  2:30pm,  6:05pm,  9:40pm

Sunday Showtimes:

DIGITAL PROJECTION

  11:30am,  Noon,  12:45pm,  1:30pm,  3:00pm,  3:45pm,  4:15pm,  5:00pm,  6:35pm,  7:20pm,  7:50pm,  8:35pm,  10:10pm

Lux Level

  11:30am,  Noon,  3:00pm,  3:45pm,  6:35pm,  7:20pm,  10:10pm

RWC IN DIGITAL PROJECTION

  11:00am,  2:30pm,  6:05pm,  9:40pm

Lux Level

  11:00am,  2:30pm,  6:05pm,  9:40pm

More About the Batman Trilogy:

• Click here to read more about “The Dark Knight Rises.”
• Click here to read more about “Batman Begins,” the first film in Nolan’s trilogy.
• Click here to read more about “The Dark Knight,” the second film in Nolan’s trilogy.

Are you planning on seeing "The Dark Knight Rises" this weekend? Let us know in the comments why you are seeing it and what you thought about it!