See Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, and more in this EW and PEOPLE exclusive.

You’re looking at the nucleus of a DC Comics Big Bang.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice finally hits theaters Friday, and from it a whole universe of new films will expand — including 2017’s Justice League. It all begins here. “Sometimes you can box yourself in [with too many characters],” says director Zack Snyder. “But what’s the upside of that? What’s the positive? How do you make that challenge be the thing that makes it cooler than [any hero] could have been on his own.”

In BvS, we’ll not only see a clash of DC’s two greatest heroes, played by Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill, but also Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, marking the character’s first live-action appearance in 75 years, and Jesse Eisenberg’s creepy new interpretation of Lex Luthor.

The Incredibles’ Elastigirl herself, Holly Hunter, joins the cast as Senator Finch, whose superpower is a deep skepticism about these supposed good guys. Returning veterans of 2013’s Man of Steel include Amy Adams as Lois Lane; Diane Lane as Superman’s mom, Martha Kent; and Laurence Fishburne as Daily Planet editor Perry White.

Batman v Superman also features a few surprise appearances, not pictured here. But expect to see much more of them in the years ahead.

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