Zack Snyder’s much-hyped epic that pits Ben Affleck against Henry Cavill is on course to become one of 2016’s highest-grossing films – if poor reviews don’t scupper it

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is on course to be the first $1bn movie of 2016, according to advance US ticket sales.

Deadline reports Zack Snyder’s superhero epic, which pitches Ben Affleck’s caped crusader against Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel, is outpacing the 2012 films The Dark Knight Rises and The Avengers, and last year’s Fast & Furious 7, in terms of upfront receipts. All three movies breached the $1bn (£706m) mark worldwide, with the latter pair both scoring more than $1.5bn.

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Batman v Superman has reportedly posted advance US sales of $20m-$25m, which tallies with Deadline’s previous prediction of a global opening weekend in the region of $300-$340m. Such figures would place it well inside the top 15 openings of all time.

Snyder’s film has benefited from enormous hype surrounding the first big-screen battle between the world’s two most celebrated superheroes. However, some fans have also complained that trailers appear to give away most of the movie’s plot, while Affleck’s casting as Batman received a mixed initial response.

Poor reviews could yet scupper the comic-book epic’s chances of becoming one of 2016’s highest-grossing films. Snyder’s previous superhero movie, 2013’s Man of Steel, stalled on $668m at the global box office following a mixed critical verdict.

The highest-grossing movie of the year so far is 20th Century Fox’s Deadpool, which has taken $708m worldwide off the back of strong reviews and excellent word of mouth. Disney’s Zootopia (aka Zootropolis) is another contender to hit $1bn, after scoring $431m in its first two weeks, including a record-breaking second weekend in China.