Exclusive new Batman V Superman pics debut in Empire

Batman. Superman. Doomsday. It’s safe to say that both Gotham and Metropolis’ skylines are in danger of being drastically rearranged again in Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice. The two great DC superheroes are the twin cover stars of this month’s Empire. Inside is reams of coverage and world-first pictures from the blockbuster, a few of which we’re able to debut right here.

Kicking off is Henry Cavill’s flying Kal-El trailing blazing destruction behind him. Not only will Superman and Batman be clashing, but their alter egos, Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne, will also be at loggerheads: one a genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist; the other, an investigative journalist on the trail of Gotham’s Bat-shaped vigilante. It will end badly for someone.

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“[Batman] is not giving people a chance,” explains producer Charles Roven. “He is more than a vigilante. He has become not only the cop, if you will, he has also become the jury and executioner.” Here he’s also a man with very glowy eyes.

For his part, the Dark Knight is experiencing his own share of (dark k)nightmares. The picture below shows the horrors now haunting the psyche of a character who, Roven stresses, will be markedly different from the Christian Bale iteration. “He’s older,” stresses the producer, “[and] he’s seen the worst of what man can do. He’s been darkened by it, he’s tougher, he’s angrier, I guess.” There’s no Rachel to grieve here, but, adds Roven, “he’s still lost those that are near and dear to him, and not necessarily from old age or disease.”

There’s a new threat in town too. One with Balrog-like bulk and Hulk-esque power. "To go up against heroes like Batman and Superman, we wanted to introduce one of the DC Universe’s most iconic and powerful villains,” elaborates director Zack Snyder. "He is essentially an unstoppable force. He poses a real threat to the world within the film.”

Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice arrives in UK cinemas on March 25. For much, more more on it in the meantime pick up the new issue of Empire on February 28. Head here for a glimpse of the exclusive, Jim Lee-designer subscribers' cover.