HBO Max Latin America Is Developing A Batman Movie Like Nothing We've Seen Before
Although many would agree that the live-action features from the DC Extended Universe haven't lived up to their competitors from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, one area that DC manages to consistently excel in is their animated films. These movies not only often attract incredible voice talent (including iconic villain performances from Mark Hamill), but they also have a willingness to explore more unique and unconventional storylines which often see familiar heroes and villains in scenarios and time periods we don't get in the live-action feature film world. A few great examples of this include "Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," "Batman Ninja," and "Superman: Red Son" — a film that explores an alternate reality in which Kal-El (voiced by Jason Isaacs) crash lands in the Soviet Union instead of Kansas.
Indeed, the freedom and creativity within Warner Bros. Animation have allowed for plenty of unorthodox comic storylines to make it to the big screen. And their latest film, coming from HBO Max Latin America, might just be their most unique project to date.
Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios is a Batman feature set in the time of the Aztecs
The film in question is titled "Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios" (which translates to "Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires"), which will be helmed by occasional "Harley Quinn" and "Rick and Morty" director Juan Meza-León and was announced on June 13 during the Guadalajara International Film Festival (via Variety). The Spanish-language feature from HBO Max Latin America presents the caped crusader as we've never seen him before: supplanting him into Aztec-era Mexico amidst the Spanish invasion. The film's protagonist is a young boy named Yohualli Coatl, who vows to avenge his father's death at the hands of Spanish Conquistadors, and trains in the temple of Tzinacan, the bat god. Later, Yohualli is forced to fend off the Spaniards' invasion of Tenochtitlan, using special weapons of his own design.
The announcement was accompanied by a promo image of Yohualli in an imposing suit of Aztec armor, which is clearly meant to evoke the iconic silhouette of Batman's cape and cowl. Seeing such a fresh take on a character as timeworn as Batman is incredibly encouraging, especially considering the impressive résumé of Meza-León. All told, "Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios" is a project unlike anything we've ever seen before, although it is still very much in line with the distinctive creativity that we've come to expect from the incredible slate of animated Batman features.