A new Batman animated film is in the works that introduces a new version of the caped crusader. The film, Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios a.k.a The Clash of the Empires, will feature an Aztec Batman who becomes the vigilante after his father dies during a Spanish inquisition. The film will be produced by WB Animation and DC.
Aztec Batman gives a cultural revamp to the characters that appear in the DC comics, taking popular characters such as the Joker and Harvey Dent and adapting them to suit the Aztec culture. While many are excited about this new take on the cape crusader, some fans seem to be taking issue with the change in the character’s original design and characteristics.
Batman Azteca Will See A New Batman In a Different Era
The popular DC comic character Batman has seen many iterations over the years. While the traditional Bruce Wayne has been often depicted and explored in live-action movies, there are Elseworld versions of the character that have been shown in animated films. Films such as Batman: Gotham by Gaslight and Batman: The Doom that Came To Gotham has seen a different Batman in another era.
The latest entry to that animated Elseworld is the upcoming film Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios. The film introduces Yohualli Coatl as the Aztec Batman, who faces a tragedy when his father is killed by a Spanish conquistador. According to Variety, the film sees Coatl become his version of Batman and face the likes of Yoka and Hernán Cortés, who are this film’s versions of The Joker and Harvey Dent.
The first image of Aztec Batman was recently released by the X (formerly Twitter) profile Kuzeh, who reportedly worked as a Concept Environment Artist on the film. The look saw Yohuali Coatl in his Batman costume, which has yellow eyes, a cowl, and an animal-like exoskeleton with fangs.
Director Juan Meza-León mentioned to Variety about the accuracy of the suit and also said what aspects of Batman the film will be focusing on. He said,
“This is a bold project…No big jaw, no big shoulders. Slimmer. A little less Schwarzenegger, a little more Bruce Lee. We had to focus on the man underneath the armor.”
The film reportedly also features fan-favorite characters such as Catwoman (Jaguar Woman), Poison Ivy (Forest Ivy), and Acatzin (Alfred Pennyworth).
Are Fans Happy About The New Aztec Batman?
The one thing that the makers of Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios have stressed about is the authenticity and the care they have taken to stay true to the mythology and history of the Aztec civilization. Peter Girardi, who heads alternative programming at WB mentioned to Variety that they wanted to stay authentic to the Aztec culture and even hired experts.
“The word you are going to keep hearing is authenticity. Even though it’s a fantastical story…We have done different interpretations of Batman in the past, specifically in Japan, so it’s a format we are familiar with. But it’s a whole new story, set in that [specific] time…It was about being authentic to Aztec culture.”
Though the film shows an alternative Batman in a separate place, many characters in the film are reportedly familiar villains and supporting characters in the Batman lore. The makers reportedly wanted to take time with the development of these characters. Director Juan Meza-León also mentioned his excitement for the project. He said,
“As a Batman fan, growing up with the Aztec culture, hearing these two words together…POW! It just had so much power. I am very excited that all this Mexican talent is working so hard to elevate Latin American animation. This is a big project, and hopefully, it will be just the beginning of many things to come.”
Despite all the care and excitement around the project, the release of the first image of Batman Azteca seemed to have divided the fans. While some have praised the makers for going in different directions, some predict that it might anger many loyal fans of the IP.
I know a lot of racists are gonna hate this batman concept but as a Mexican I think it's awesome exploring my culture that was ruined by white Europeans lol
— Tripp (@lifeisatripp) February 27, 2024
DC will find any excuse to use Batman, even if it's ridiculous.
— Gift C Enyadike Jr (@GiftEnyadikeJr) February 27, 2024
hmm doesn’t sound good. we won’t be watching unfortunately
— Michael Kentrell Brown 💚ﾒ𝟶 (@breezybetter07) February 27, 2024
This is gonna be so crazy if it’s done right
— 𝕸𝖆𝖈𝖎𝖓𝖙𝖔𝖘𝖍 (@DonMacint0sh) February 28, 2024
So… Namor Batman
— Neo (@NeoSimGuy) February 28, 2024
No matter what the reactions are, Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios seems to be a new and fresh perspective on the beloved superhero and might just be a great addition to the mythos of Batman.
