Credit: Stephen Lovekin/FilmMagic/Getty Images.

Director Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy comes to an end Friday, with the release of "The Dark Knight Rises." The stars of the film, including Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, Tom Hardy, and Anne Hathaway braved a heat wave-baked Big Apple Monday night for the much anticipated film's world premiere.

Bale told ABC News Radio he was "very proud" of the trilogy, and mentioned he had several chances to see the final film, but waited until Monday night's screening to see it in IMAX. "Chris is so in love with the medium I wanted to see it as he intended," he said.

Freeman plays Lucius Fox, Bruce Wayne's confidante and gadget-master. The Oscar winning actor said he wasn't sorry to see Fox go: "I've said goodbye to a lot of great characters. Not sad at all, really."

As for Hardy, who plays the masked villain Bane, he explained that for all the physicality he put into the character, he had the easy job. "I just got to wear a mask and I got beaten up," he joked.

Hathaway rocked the red carpet in plunging Prabal Gurung gown, showing off the results of her grueling Catwoman workouts.