LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Warner Bros. Film studio on Friday said its movie "The Dark Knight Rises" took in $30.6 million at U.S. and Canadian box offices in screenings just after midnight on Friday.

The movie, director Christopher Nolan's third film in his action-packed Batman trilogy, had been widely anticipated, but its debut was marred by the tragic shooting of audience members at a Denver suburban theater in the early morning hours on Friday.

(Reporting By Bob Tourtellotte; Editing by Leslie Adler)