First Picture Of Henry Cavill in Batman V Superman

Thousand-yard smolder? Check? Rain bucketing down from a metallic grey sky? Check? Sodden superhero outfit? Check.

If the first-look at Ben Affleck’s pensive caped crusader (very possibly having left his keys in the Batmobile) hadn’t already alerted the world that Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice will be a serious affair, this latest official superhero still should do the trick.

Published by USA Today, this time we get a glimpse at the Man Of Steel, with Henry Cavill reprising his role from last year's solo reboot to go toe-to-toe with Affleck's ageing and world-weary Batman.

Batman's frailty could even be one of the film's most interesting draws, says director Zack Snyder ("It's cooler to see a crusty old Batman beating the snot out of guys”) but above all it's about the title: "You can talk all you want about other superhero movies, but it's Batman and Superman, let's just be honest – I don't know how you get bigger than that,” he says.

Who could possibly disagree? Now all we ask is that someone gets poor Superman out of the rain before he catches a cold.

Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice hits cinemas 29 April 2016