Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice isn’t even released until April 2016 but fans are already getting excited for the film's release. The motion picture starring Ben Affleck is the talk of the movie world after a fresh image of the actor portraying the superhero was shared online.
Director Zack Snyder posted a headshot image of him kitted out in the recognisable black mask and cowl neck hood.
The 41-year-old actor shows off his profile in the colour photograph taken by Carl Enos, the moody shot only revealing his stubbled chin and closed mouth. When posting the snap via Twitter on Thursday, Zack used the hashtag “#75” as a caption, referring to the 75th anniversary of the DC character. DC Comics are also using the image for a backdrop at its current Comic-Con stand in San Diego.
The last shot from the film was released in May and was a black and white shot showing the Dark Knight’s bodysuit - just a day after teasing the Batmobile.
On Thursday, the helmer, who is known for getting fans up in arms, also shared a snap of Henry Cavill, who plays Superman in the film. Henry however appears cloaked and with a red lightsaber, and Zack referred to him as "SuperJedi".
It could have just been a photoshop joke from Zack - Henry has to wear a cloak to hide the Superman outfit from paparazzi - but many fans believe he could be teasing his involvement in the upcoming Star Wars: Episode VII film. Ben – who has three children with wife Jennifer Garner - has been working hard to get into character for his role as Batman, showing off a new buff and bulky physique while out and about.
Initially considered to be a controversial choice to take over from Christian Bale as Batman, the first photo of Ben in character had a positive reception. The actor has spoken in the past about the controversy his casting caused when it was announced last summer. Laughing off the backlash, Ben said he was a "big boy" who can handle the criticism.
"When you get into the arena of those kinds of movies, these superhero movies, particularly ones that are working with characters that everyone's known for so long, everybody's got these strongly held opinions and preconceived ideas about what it should be," he told Entertainment Weekly.