CHELSEA — Lineups sprawled down an entire block on Saturday as hundreds of fans of the Caped Crusader turned out for the chance to be an extra in Christopher Nolan's next Batman flick.
The open casting call was announced last week, looking for physically fit people to play "law enforcement within a city besieged by crime and corruption."
Hundreds of aspiring actors, NYPD cops and people looking for an unsual way to spend a Saturday answered the call. All were hoping for a chance to play a Gotham City police officer in "The Dark Knight Rises."
"I think that if I do well here, I could be the next Robin," said Jesus Hernandez, who was toward the end of the huge lineup outside of Metropolitan Pavilion at 110 West 19th St.
"I'm writing a script right now for a Robin movie."
Others had far less grand ambitions. Rick Huldisch was at the casting call because his nephew asked him to go.
"He lives in the DC area, so for him, it'd be real cool to have an uncle in a movie like Batman," said Huldisch, who stressed that he was not an actor. "I'm doing a favor for my little nephew, that's why I'm here."
"The Dark Knight Rises" is the third installment in "Inception" director Christopher Nolan's retelling of the Batman story. The film will star Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy and Gary Oldman.
Major Bat-fans were also in the lineup, including Dan Pantano, who had already been an extra in "Rises" when it was filming in Pittsburgh. He made the seven-hour drive between New York at Pittsburgh just for the chance to be an extra.
"I played a mercenary," he said.
"I'm just here to resume my ongoing role in the Batman movies."
