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A new Batman animated film is in the works that introduces a new version of the caped crusader. The film,Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperiosa.k.aThe 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 Batmangives 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 AztecaWill 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 asBatman: Gotham by GaslightandBatman: The Doom that Came To Gothamhas seen a different Batman in another era.
The latest entry to that animated Elseworld is the upcoming filmBatman 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.
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The first image of Aztec Batman was recently released by theX (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 toVarietyabout 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).
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Are Fans Happy About The New Aztec Batman?
The one thing that the makers ofBatman Azteca: Choque de Imperioshave 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.”
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Despite all the care and excitement around the project, the release of the first image ofBatman Aztecaseemed 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
DC will find any excuse to use Batman, even if it’s ridiculous.
hmm doesn’t sound good. we won’t be watching unfortunately
This is gonna be so crazy if it’s done right
So… Namor Batman
No matter what the reactions are,Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperiosseems to be a new and fresh perspective on the beloved superhero and might just be a great addition to the mythos of Batman.
Nishanth A
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2415
Nishanth A is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on TV shows with over 2,000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past two years and a scriptwriter at various corporations before that, working on educational content. With a Communications, English Literature, and Psychology triple major, Nishanth usually covers news and analyses on Star Trek, particularly Strange New Worlds and The Next Generation; Doctor Who, the DCU, and more.A Nolan fan, Nishanth spends his time exploring the filmographies of various directors with an auteurial style or can be found making short movies of his own. He has also contributed as a feature writer for Film Companion, focusing on the South division.
