Less than a day after leaking online, Warner Bros. shifted the release date of the first Batman v Superman teaser trailer from Monday to today. That’s right–merely one day after Disney dropped its splendid second teaser for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, WB is jumping into the limelight with a first look at its upcoming high-profile flick.

The first half of the two minute and thirteen second teaser focuses on a statue of Superman; as we zoom in closer and closer to it, a barrage of moral, philosophical, and even religious questions and statements fill in as noise. In a world that was introduced to Superman in Man of Steel, the people are questioning his status: is he a hero, a villain…the devil? Listen carefully and you’ll recognize Jesse Eisenberg’s voice in the mix; as Lex Luthor he says, “We know better now, don’t we? Devil’s don’t come from Hell beneath us; no, they come from the sky.” An unseen angry mob starts chanting “Go home! Go home!” and bam: the next shot reveals that the chestplate on the Superman statue has been defiled with words in red shouting “FALSE GOD.”

Next, enter Jeremy Irons’s disembodied voice. As Bruce Wayne’s butler Alfred Pennyworth he speaks, “That’s how it starts. The fever. The rage. The feeling of powerlessness. That turns good men, cruel.” And here’s our latest glimpse at Ben Affleck as Bruce, who is staring with intent at his suit; is he pondering whether or not to don it and take down the “false god” once and for all?

More shots of the Caped Crusader fly by, and we also get peeks at his Bat-vehicles. But the most striking image is saved for last. A close-up of Batman’s cowl in a dark rainstorm reveals his ominous, glowing eyes; so, so cool. Henry Cavill’s Superman floats above him in the sky. Batman growls, “Tell me. Do you bleed?” The man from Krypton anchors to the ground with powerful force and just as he’s about to meet Batman’s gaze, everything goes black. “You will,” snarls Batman. Superman’s emblem takes over, with Batman’s logo as the backdrop.

It’s all very dark and gritty, just the way director Zack Snyder likes it. The teaser is cut extremely well, reintroducing Superman into a chaotic world and unveiling Batman as a promising adversary. Plus, you must admit, Affleck wears the suit well (those glowing eyes are so cool!) and manages the Bat’s signature voice with finesse.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opens March 25, 2016.

Update (4/20): To celebrate the trailer’s release, Zack Snyder tweeted out a grand look at his take on the famed Bat Suit. Jump after the break to see it in all its glory. Continue reading It’s Batman versus Superman in debut ‘Dawn of Justice’ trailer →