Fans throng Central as lead characters suit up for action and cameras roll
Batman is supposed to fight crime, but this week in Hong Kong he seemed stuck battling disgruntled residents and environmentalists.
But all the complaints stopped yesterday as the stars of The Dark Knight emerged from their luxury suites at the Four Seasons hotel - a little jetlagged but smiling - first to declare their love for Hong Kong and then to film on the city's streets.
More than 500 fans, tourists and curious onlookers armed with cameras jammed Lyndhurst Terrace and the Mid-Levels escalator in Central to watch the action unfold throughout the afternoon.
Director Christopher Nolan and stars Christian Bale (Batman) and Oscar-winner Morgan Freeman (Lucius Fox) arrived on Thursday night, but the production team had weathered a tough week without them.
First came noise complaints from Central and Western residents about low-flying aircraft and helicopters used to film certain scenes. Then there were claims that a scene where Batman falls into the harbour had to be cut due to pollution.
And finally there were complaints from environmentalists after producers urged commercial buildings along the harbourfront to keep their lights on all night to better illuminate the city. Only a few more than 20 per cent of those asked agreed to do so.