The new Avengers film promises gloom, doom and teamwork

The best thing to see in the Avengers: Age Of Ultron trailer might just be the release date!

'I was designed to save the world,' James Spader’s voice rings out at the very opening to the trailer of Joss Whedon’s Avengers sequel.

Cool, soothing, perfectly enunciated, his is the voice of the new villain, Ultron, a Siri-gone bad scenario where artificial intelligence has decreed that we humans aren’t intelligent or worthy enough to survive.

Basically, it’s like Her with explosions.

But, as best exemplified by Her star Scarlett Johannson popping out from a flying machine onto a motorbike, what glorious explosions these seem to be.

The dynamic from the last film seems to have changed: Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man is weighed down by guilt as the creator of Ultron; Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner appears restless, impatient, waiting perhaps to implode; Chris Evans’ Captain America looks more at ease with new-age asskickery; Scarlett’s Black Widow has her hands full; Samuel L Jackson’s Nick Fury is still throwing these misfits together; and Chris Hemsworth’s Thor doesn’t really get much to say, but is visibly pissed off.

(Oh, and Hawkeye’s around too. I think.)

The trailer’s tone is grim, foreboding and shadowy, indicating that the Marvel Cinematic Universe may have its darkest, gloomiest entry in years. Either that or Whedon is saving all his great gags for those who buy the tickets.

The best thing to see here might just be the release date: despite the trailer announcing a May 1 release, those of us in India will get our hands on Avengers: Age Of Ultron one week early, on April 24.