“Bruce Wayne meets Clark Kent. Ha! I love it!” So cries Lex Luthor in the latest trailer for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which premiered on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Wednesday evening, introduced by the film’s star Ben Affleck.

Luthor’s handclap of glee – delivered by actor (and New Yorker writer) Jesse Eisenberg – nicely sums up audience appetite for director Zack Snyder’s film, despite its release date of 25 March 2016 still being several months away.

Where the first trailer only showed Batman and Superman together in its final shot, this second trailer opens at a glamorous Gotham party as a limo pulls up to deliver businessman Bruce Wayne (Affleck) on to a red carpet where Daily Planet hack Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) turns to ask a bystander: “Who’s that?”

“Civil liberties are being trampled on in your city, people living in fear,” Kent challenges Wayne once he’s identified him.

“The Daily Planet criticising those who think they are above the law – a little hypocritical wouldn’t you say?” Wayne counters. “Every time a hero saves a cat out of a tree, you write a puff-piece editorial.”

At the risk of puff here, fans reacted excitedly on social media to the second clip, especially to the sight of Snyder’s superhero “Trinity” – completed by actor Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman – together for the first time.

“Is she with you?” asks Superman.

“I thought she was with you,” Batman bats back.

The clip also shows Jeremy Irons as Alfred, Amy Adams as Lois Lane and Holly Hunter as Senator Finch, a character newly created by Sydner for the film.

The director recently stressed he had wanted to “pay homage” to Frank Miller’s graphic novel The Dark Knight Returns, rather than a direct adaptation.

The superhero face-off comes three years after Cavill’s first outing as Superman in Man of Steel, but now all eyes are on Affleck’s debut as an older, grey-haired Batman.

“The greatest gladiator match in the history of the world,” the trailer trumpets.

Fans and film executives can only hope. Cavill, Affleck and Gadot are already set to team up for two more superhero movies in 2017 and 2019 respectively.