Man Of Steel

The Big S is back. Time to run for cover?

Release date: June 14, 2013.

The cast: Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne.

The pitch: DC Comics' favourite son (sorry, Aquaman) makes his big screen return, and there's a fresh set of thighs in the iconic crimson codpiece.

The buzz: Next to nothing. So far 2012 has been all about avengers, a web-slinger and a hoarse bat. Next summer will mark seven years since Brandon Routh soared majestically into the vast abyss of cinematic duds, and spotty fanboys movie lovers the world over are now set to turn their attentions to Zack Snyder's origin story reboot. Not much is known about the plot, but Brit Henry Cavill looks in his element as the beardy lone fisherman in the trailer's wordless opening 40 seconds. If he's as watchable in a red cape as he is in an oversized yellow mac, the job's half done. Either way, 'Clark at sea' is a neat metaphor for the Fortress of Solitude his alter ego will later come to occupy.

Reasons this could be good: Zack Snyder. Remember the alternate history opening credits montage in Watchmen? Remember how awesome that was?!

Reasons this could be bad: Zack Snyder. Remember the next 150 minutes of Watchmen...

The music: Nothing will ever make us want to tie a picnic blanket around our neck and charge about, right arm punched forward, quite like John Williams' triumphant score from the original film series, but the siren-ey warbling used here sets a suitably moody tone. And there's not a Hans Zimmer-style BRAAAAHM within earshot. Hoo-fucking-ray.

Best bit: 01:19-01:22 – Snyder can't resist ending with a money shot. A mighty sonic boom cracks the sky as Superman rolls his shoulders back and flips the hyperdrive switch.

The verdict: Let's not get ahead of ourselves. This trailer* is the business, but there's still a good nine months of post production for Snyder to chud this one up. Here's hoping the influence of producer Christopher Nolan can help curb the director's popcorn-porn predilection.

*Warner Bros. has released two versions of the same teaser, the single difference being the voiceover: V1 features Russell Crowe's Jor-El, while V2 sees Kevin Costner's Kent Snr offer his adopted son some sage words.

V1.

http://youtu.be/bMAnApUfZTY

V2.

http://youtu.be/PSI5fgmjz1M