The third and final part of the Wright/Frost/Pegg Cornetto trilogy The World's End is shaping up to be mint in every sense. It's the first in an apocalyptic double-bill in the new issue of Empire (on sale NOW, people), where it vies with Team Rogen and This Is The End for the title of most eagerly anticipated armageddon-com of the year.

These exclusive images from the film show Simon Pegg's Gary King in action. In the first, the film's jaundiced hero, instigator of a pub-based reunion for his old muckers, raises a pint with said pals before the neutrin-ales start mutating. Left to right are Bluetoothed estate agent Oliver (Martin Freeman), one-time-rocker-turned-architectural-consultant Steven (Paddy Considine), successful lawyer and King's now-estranged bestie Andy (Nick Frost) and car dealer Peter (Eddie Marsan).

The second, below, offers glimpse of King as mankind's last hope, standing alone in the face of whatever influx of evil the movie has in store for us. "It's a much bigger proposition than the other two films," says Pegg of the follow-up to Shaun Of The Dead and Hot Fuzz.

There's 12 pubs on the gang's crawl, culminating in The World's End. "When you've seen the film, you'll be able to relate each pub name to what happens inside," explains Pegg. On that basis, things could get seriously hairy at the Two-Headed Dog. And is a Nicolas Cage/Wicker Man tribute too much to ask for in The Beehive?

The World's End is out on August 14. Pick up a copy of Empire's March edition for more on the movie.