Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires
| Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires | |
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 Mexican theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Juan Meza-León |
| Screenplay by | Ernie Altbacker |
| Story by | Ernie Altbacker Juan Meza-León |
| Based on | |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Edited by | Diego Denardi |
| Music by | Ego Plum |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Cinépolis Distribución (Mexico theatrical) Warner Bros. Discovery Home Entertainment (DVD, Blu-Ray, Digital) |
Release dates |
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Running time | 89 minutes[1] |
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Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires (Spanish: Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios[2]) is an upcoming Mexican-American adult animated historical superhero film based on the DC Comics character Batman. It is a collaboration between Ánima, Chatrone and Warner Bros. Animation, with Juan Meza-León as director and writer.[2] The film will be released on HBO Max and in Mexican theaters by Cinépolis Distribución on September 18, 2025.[3]
Plot
The father of Yohualli Coatl, a young Aztec boy, is murdered by Spanish conquistadors. As an adult, Coatl is a priest in the court of King Moctezuma II and works with his fellow clerics in the temple of Tzinacan to defy the Spanish invaders and protect their people using the masked persona of the "Batman".[2]
Cast
- Horacio García Rojas[4][5] as Yohualli Coatl/Batman, a privileged boy born into the nobility of the Aztecs and whose life crumbles when Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés murders his father. As a man, he takes on the persona of "Batman", a masked warrior who fights for justice and to exact revenge on Cortés, while concealing his true nature behind the facade of a simple priest. Jay Hernandez voices the role in the English dub.[6]
- Omar Chaparro[4] as Yoka/Joker, formerly a respected priest until he hears the voice of Huitzilopochtli telling him to engage in human sacrifice, causing him to lose his sanity and disfigure himself.
- Álvaro Morte[4] as Hernán Cortés/Two-Face, the conquistador aiming to conquer Tenochtitlan for gold. Arrogant and greedy, he survives an attempt on his life that leaves one side of his face permanently scarred and compulsively flips a scratched gold doubloon to decide the fates of his victims.
Production
Development
On June 13, 2022, at the Guadalajara International Film Festival, HBO Max Latin America announced that production on the film had begun. The first collaboration of Ánima and Warner Bros. Animation, the film is directed by Juan Meza-León and produced by Anima's José C. García de Letona and Fernando De Fuentes.[3] The film is based on Batman-centric characters and is completely produced in Mexico.[7] Sam Register and Tomás Yankelevich served as executive producers, while Alejandro Diaz Barriga served as a cultural consultant.[2][8]
Some reviewers said that the collaboration between Warner Bros. Animation and Latin American companies is likely "one of many", noting that HBO Max Latin America is aiming to "release 50–70 Latin America-branch originals" by 2023.[9][10] In June 2022, Horacio García Rojas was cast as Yohualli/Batman.[5] By September 2022, Aaron D. Berger and Carina Schulze joined the film's production team.[4]
Writing
The filmmakers did extensive research on Aztec culture, incluiding how building structures were made and the meaning of colors in Aztec culture, in order to incorporate them into the movie. Director Juan Meza-León said the filmmakers aimed to be as faithful to Aztec culture as possible while also incorporating elements from the Batman mythos, being a fan of the comics himself. In order to accomplish this, they hired Dr. Alejandro Barriga as consultant, as, being both an expert on Aztec cultire and a comic book fan, "understood" the team's intention to combine both elements.[11]
Meza-León compared the film to an "Elseworlds" comic book, and said that, as such, they wanted to incorporate "the spirit of vengeance and trying to turn tragedy into motivation for good" he felt was inherent to Batman Elseworlds stories. He also decided to have the film's version of Batman to be inspired by the Aztec bat god Tzinacan in order to incorporate both elements of Aztec culture as well as "that element of mystery, the spookiness, the darkness, to it that Batman has". Poison Ivy was also reimagined as an Aztec deity so that she could serve as an introduction to the more mythical elemts of Aztec culture.[11]
Music
Ego Plum composed the film's score, which incorporates elements of Danny Elfman's theme from Batman (1989). According to Plum, the theme was incorporated with Elfman's approval; the filmmakers wanted to incorporate part of the theme into the score in order to "make [audiences] feel that it’s part of the [Batman] world, yet it’s its own thing at the same time".[11]
"Black Legend" Controversy
The trailer of the film produced a debate in the Spanish-speaking world regarding the possible perpetuation of the anti-Spanish "Black Legend", in which the Spanish Empire is portrayed as uniquely atrocious. This has led to discussion about how the film might raise awareness about the ongoing historical legacy of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire.[12]
Release
Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires is set to be released on HBO Max and in Mexican theaters by Cinépolis Distribución on September 18, 2025.[13]
Future
Director Juan Meza-León expressed inyerest in developing a continuation that explores "more of that detective side of Batman".[11]
References
- ^ "Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires [M]". Australian Classification Board. June 23, 2025. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Milligan, Mercedes (June 14, 2022). "HBO Max LatAm Unveils 'Batman Azteca' at GIFF". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on June 16, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ a b de la Fuente, Anna Marie (June 13, 2022). "Batman Comes to Aztec Mexico in Animated Film for HBO Max Latin America (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022.
- ^ a b c d "HBO Max presents the actors who will voice the main characters of 'Batman Aztec: Clash of empires' with the first images of their characters" (Press release). WarnerMedia Direct Latin America, LLC. HBO Max. September 6, 2022. Archived from the original on September 6, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2023.
- ^ a b Woinski, Bart (June 14, 2022). "Batman Will Battle Spanish Conquistadors In New HBO Max Movie". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on June 24, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ Vejvoda, Jim (July 25, 2025). "Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires Exclusive Trailer". IGN. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
- ^ Mishra, Shrishty (June 14, 2022). "'Batman Azteca': HBO Max to Take the Superhero to Mexico With New Animated Movie". Collider. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ Dodge, John (June 14, 2022). "DC's Next Batman Film Reinvents the Dark Knight as an Aztec Warrior Battling Spanish Invaders". CBR. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022.
- ^ Shotwell, Alyssa (June 16, 2022). "16th Century Batman Is the Perfect Reason for a New Animated Batman Movie". The Mary Sue. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ de La Fuente, Anna Marie (March 17, 2022). "HBO Max Latin America Production Ramp Up – Broken Down by Top Exec Luis Duran (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Spry, Jeff (August 18, 2025). "'Aztec Batman' Director Juan Meza-León Discusses the Dark Knight's Mesoamerican Reboot". Animation Magazine. Retrieved August 19, 2025.
- ^ Caio Ruvenal, El País, July 31, 2025. ‘Aztec Batman’: New superhero movie faces criticism that it is ‘spreading the black legend’
- ^ Caio Ruvenal, El País, July 31, 2025. K., Demet (June 13, 2024). "Warner Bros. Reveals An Exciting Slate of Animated Projects at Annecy Animation Festival". Nexus Point News. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
