It was the casting decision that caused an outcry - and there's been no let up after the full-length trailer for Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice debuted.
Fans have taken to Twitter to debate the first look of Ben Affleck as Batman - dubbed "Batfleck" - in the full-length trailer which debut over the weekend.
The trailer wasn't due out until today but Warner Bros was forced to go on the offensive and release the trailer after a bootleg version hit the internet.
Read more: Ben Affleck on Batfleck backlash: 'I'm a big boy ... I can handle it'
A shaky video taken using a cell phone or handheld camera was posted online showing a screening of the trailer with Portuguese subtitles.
It came hours after the film's director Zack Snyder posted a high quality 20-second video clip and tweeted details of how fans could access the special full trailer screenings on April 20.
While the studio was able to have the leaked version quickly pulled from YouTube, the damage was done and it was shared by thousands of fans across various internet sites.
The trailer show Affleck suiting up as Batman and coming face to face with Superman, played by Henry Cavill, at the end of the two-minute trailer.
"Tell me, do you bleed?" Batman's raspy voice is heard ominously asking Superman. "You will."
The highly-anticipated trailer finally gives fans a hint of how the battle between the two superheroes develops and sets the stage for a dramatic showdown.
A smattering of tweets shows how superhero fans are still divided about Affleck as Batman.
Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice is due to hit cinemas in April, 2016.
- nzherald.co.nz