Christian Bale glowers, stares down authority and swings a weapon – and we’re not talking about the pitch meeting.

Fox has dropped the first trailer for Exodus: Gods And Kings ahead of the December 12 release and from the looks of it, Ridley Scott’s flair for visual fireworks and storytelling thrills ‘n’ spills is as vibrant as ever.

Bale is cast as a warrior sort of Moses who clashes with Egyptian pharaoh Ramses played by Joel Edgerton, prowling about gamely beneath the weight of his eye-liner as he channels Marilyn Manson and Joaquin Phoenix’s Commodus.

There’s intrigue, fierce glances and macho posturing by the bushel. And that’s just the mortal stuff: we also get to see snippets of deadly plagues and an awe-inspiring water cascade that one can only assume is the Red Sea.

Aaron Paul, John Turturro, Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley round out the key cast.

Steve Zaillian wrote the screenplay from a story by Bill Collage and Adam Cooper. Peter Chernin and Scott produce Exodus: Gods And Kings with Jenno Topping, Michael Schaefer and Mark Huffam.