News
News on the Aztec Batman movie. In most cases a link will accompany each headline back to the original article.
News on the DCAU originates from animation and comic book related news sites, personal staff forums or comic book conventions. Fans beware, in some cases, false news does get spread among the Internet.
Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires News
June 13, 2022: HBO Max Latin America, Warner Bros. Animation, Particular Crowd, Mexico's Anima and producer Chatrone have collaborated on a new movie called "Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios" ("Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires"). The new project was announced Monday night at a cocktail event held at the 37th Guadalajara International Film Festival. The original, Spanish-language animated film places the iconic DC superhero against the backdrop of Aztec Mexico and immerses viewers in the enigmatic culture of Mesoamerica. The tale centers on a young Aztec boy, Yohualli Coatl, whose father, village leader Toltecatzin, is murdered by Spanish Conquistadors. Coatl flees to Tenochtitlan to warn King Moctezuma and his high priest, Yoka, of looming danger. Using the temple of Tzinacan, the bat god, as a lair, Yohualli trains with his mentor and assistant, Acatzin, developing equipment and weaponry to confront the Spaniard invasion, protect Moctezuma's temple, and avenge his father's death. Juan Meza-Leon is the director, Anima's Jose C. García de Letona and Fernando De Fuentes are producers alongside Chatrone's Aaron D. Berger and Carina Schulze. Sam Register and Tomás Yankelevich serve as executive producers. Alejandro Díaz Barriga, an expert on Mesoamerican studies and the ethnic history of Mexico and the Andean region, will work closely with the creative team to make certain that the indigenous representation portrayed in the film is appropriate and relevant. First look at Batman posted. Variety Article
June 13, 2022: Jose Iturriaga was a concept artist. Jose Iturriaga instagram
June 13, 2022: Monica Robles Corzo was a concept artist. Monica Robles Corzo Tweet
September 6, 2022: Horacio Garcia Rojas voices Yohualli (Batman), Omar Chaparro voices Yoka (The Joker) and Alvaro Morte voices Hernan Cortes (Two-Face). First look at Yoka and Cortes included. WF Article
April 25, 2023: Allegedly there will also be a potential threat for the end of the world. The V Scooper Tweet
April 27, 2023: There will be a first look at the Annecy Festival. Animation Magazine Article
May 11, 2023: Annecy Festival first look will be part of the WIP on June 14 at 11:30 to 12:45 at Salle Pierre Lamay. DCAUR Tweet
June 7, 2023: Annecy Festival first look will feature director Juan Meza Leon and animation studio Anima's character designer Marvick Nunez, Art Director Diego Olascoaga, and producer Jose Carlos Garcia De Letona. DCAUR Tweet
September 1, 2023: The movie will be featured at Pixelatl, Mexico's foremost animation forum which starts on September 5. Variety Article
September 4, 2023: Reportedly, other Batman mythos characters set to appear include Forest Ivy (Poison Ivy) and Jaguar Woman (Cat Woman). Meza-Leon said at Annecy, "She is the one who helps him embrace his spiritual animal and to become this warrior. The Aztecs only fought during the day, but she is a little thief in the night, the Robin Hood for the Aztec people. She is teaching him how to make his way around darkness and use it as a weapon." He also commented, "I didn’t want it to be some ‘cartoony’ thing. I wanted it to be serious, dramatic and dark. 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." CBM Article
February 20, 2024: First still released, featuring Batman. Full name is Yohualli Coatl and he is an Aztec from a royal family who stumbles upon the forgotten temple of Titicatzin, the bat god of the Aztecs after his father the chief is murdered by Cortes. He is inspired to become a masked hero to save his people, avenge his father, and stop Cortes from destroying Tenochtitlan. Joker will be a character named Yoka, a strict and conservative priest who believes in the ancient prophecies that predict the return of the gods. The movie premieres on Max in 2024. Omelete Article
June 12, 2024: At Annecy, a sizzle reel was shown. The movie will come out in 2025. Midou Tweet
June 13, 2024: Set in both Aztec and Egypt. Nexus Point News Article
July 15, 2024: Ernie Altbacker worked on the movie. Ernie Altbacker Tweet
September 17, 2024: As part of a Bats in Translation panel at New York Comic Con, there will be a sneak peek and conversation with the creative team of Aztec Batman. It will be on October 17 from 3-4 pm at the Main Stage. Panelists will be director Juan Meza-Leon and producer Jose C. Garcia de Letona. TV Insider Article
October 11, 2024: Interview with Horacio Garcia Rojas. Mi Gente Show
October 17, 2024: Character design of Aztec Batman shown at New York Comic Con. Animation on Max Tweet
October 17, 2024: Character design of Yohualli Coatl shown at New York Comic Con. Animation on Max Tweet
October 17, 2024: Character design of Hernan Cortes shown at New York Comic Con. Animation on Max Tweet
October 17, 2024: Character design of Jaguar Woman shown at New York Comic Con. Animation on Max Tweet
October 17, 2024: Key art shown at New York Comic Con. Animation on Max Tweet
October 17, 2024: Character design of Yoka shown at New York Comic Con. Animation on Max Tweet
October 17, 2024: Character design of Forest Ivy shown at New York Comic Con. Animation on Max Tweet
October 17, 2024: Location designs of Aztec Kingdom shown at New York Comic Con. Animation on Max Tweet
October 17, 2024: Pre-production drawings by Juan Meza-Leon shown at New York Comic Con. Animation on Max Tweet
October 17, 2024: New York Comic Con panel live stream. A two minute clip was shown but it has not been released. A researcher was on-staff helping the crew with maintaining historical accuracy such as the correct colors or how characters dress. They based Batman's costume in part on a statue of Tzinacan, the Aztec bat god of vengeance and death. The mandate was to "animate live action" and make an epic movie. Various character concepts and designs were shown. For historical accuracy, they had to make change the design of Yohualli Coatl to be less muscular and more a Bruce Lee-type. They also made a mistake of using some aqua color and had to remove it because that was for gods only. Aztec Batman's helmet was too dragon-like at first and they changed it to be bat-like. Coatl's gear includes a Batbelt, Batcrossbow, Batshield, Batmacuahuitl, and Bat Glider. Yoka starts as a shaman advising Monctezuma, the Sun King, then gradually transforms. Cortes is a charming noble but his inner darkness manifests into Two Face. Cortes/Two-Face's voice actor hurt his throat doing two voices. Jaguar Woman is Batman's teacher. Aztecs don't fight at night so she teaches Yohualli to use the night in his favor, helps come up with strategies and weapons, and teaches tracking the soldiers. Forest Ivy is a goddess who communicates to Yohualli through dreams and psychedelic visions and guides Batman spiritually to achieve his destiny. Acatzin is this movie's Alfred and helps train Batman. The Moctezuma design was shown. Pedro de Alvarado is a conquistador who is a true believer and zealot. Aztec Empire designs were shown like Moctezuma's palace interior and exteriors. The Bat Cave is an ancient lost temple of Tzinacan. Popverse YouTube 5:11:17-5:35:40
January 3, 2025: A recording of the New York Comic Con was officially released. Popverse Article
April 7, 2025: Catsuka Shopping has a pre-order for a 4K/Blu-ray with a release date of September 22, 2025 and EAN 5051892253710. DCAUR Tweet
June 13, 2025: At Annecy Festival, at Warner's adult animation panel, they showed a new visual and 2 clips: "Yohualli wants fear and crafts his Batman suit/gadgets with Acatzin (Alfred)" and "Batman chasing the conquistadors and using his gadgets to fight them, ending when he faces Hernán Cortés." Midou Tweet
July 10, 2025: San Diego Comic Con panel will be on July 24 at 3:30-4:30 pm in Room 6BCF. Cast and crew will be in attendance to share footage and talk about the movie. DCAUR Tweet
July 23, 2025: Movie poster released. Coming to theaters in Mexico starting September 18. WB Mexico Tweet
July 23, 2025: 10 second promo posted. WB Home Entertainment Tweet
July 23, 2025: Jorge Gutierrez revealed he voices Batman's dad in both English and Spanish versions of the movie. Jorge R. Gutierrez Tweet
July 24, 2025: Interview with Juan Meza-Leon, producers Aaron Berger and José Carlos García de Letona, and actors Raymond Cruz and Horacio García Rojas. CBR Article
July 24, 2025: 2:12 trailer released. Digital release date is September 19, 2025 and 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD on September 23 in both Spaish and English versions. Run time is 89 minutes. Rated R for some violence and bloody images. Special features are "The Battle Cry of Aztec Batman" - behind the scenes with Jay Hernandez - and "The Batman Mythology and Aztec Inspiration" - Ernie Altbacker and Jay Hernandez talk about the film's approach to melding history with the cast of Batman characters. IGN Article
July 25, 2025: Press release for Aztec Batman. WF Article
July 27, 2025: Back cover for Blu-ray of Aztec Batman posted. DCAUR Tweet
July 28, 2025: Music for Aztec Batman was done by Ego Plum. Ego Plum Tweet
July 29, 2025: Juan Meza-Leon notes they crafted the Batman character first then started designing the suit. They looked at Spanish armor and Aztec figures like the Jaguar Warriors and the Eagle Warriors. Both had helmets representing an animal, the spirit they are representing. They had a similar idea and landed on Tinakan, the bat god. CBR Article
August 4, 2025: While not greenlit, the crew teases they already have a sequel mapped out. ComicBook Article
August 8, 2025: Interview with Juan Meza-Leon, Ego Plum, and Ernie Altbacker during San Diego Comic Con. KPBS Public Media YouTube
August 15, 2025: Reportedly the movie starts streaming on HBO Max on September 19. CBR Article
August 18, 2025: Interview with Juan Meza-Leon. Animation Magazine Article
August 26, 2025: Interview with director Juan Meza-Leon, producers Jose C. Garcia de Letona and Aaron Berger, writer Ernie Altbacker, and voice actors Raymond Cruz and Horacio Garcia Rojas. The Direct Article
September 3, 2025: director Juan Meza-Leon, director Jose Carlos Garcia de Letona, screenwriter Ernie Altbacker, and producer Aaron Berger. De Letona came up with the larger framework of the sotry then Altbacker layering in the DC content, and Meza-Leon came in. An expert in pre-Columbian societies helped with the cultural gap. There was a lot of back and forth between Altbacker, Meza-Leon, and the consultant. Meza-Leon was ver adamant about including historical landmarks. The script was translated into Spanish by Mexican writer Alfredo Mendoza. The consultant also told them the Bruce Timm design style would not work so they trimmed down the musculature as to make him more agile. They snuck in a device influenced by Leonardo da Vinci that Cortes imports to the Aztecs. Peter Girardi helped modify designs. Popverse Article
September 4, 2025: A screening and panel will be held at SCAD on September 26 on the Main Stage starting at 7 pm. Juan Meza-Leon and producer Jose Carlos de Letona will be the guests. Rough Draft Atlanta Article
September 17, 2025: New stills and interview with Jose C. Garcia de Letona and Aaron Berger. In addition to Anima, Birdo and Dogzilla in Brazil and Apus Studio in Peru worked on the movie. AWN Article
September 19, 2025: 9:40 opening scene posted. Warner Bros. Entertainment YouTube
September 19, 2025: Christian Lanz voiced Cortes for the English track. Christian Lanz Tweet
September 19, 2025: Luis Bermudez voiced Huitzilopochtli, Osolotl, and others for the English track. Luis Bermudez Tweet
September 23, 2025: Tiana Camacho provided voiceover work for the English track. Tiana Camacho Tweet
September 23, 2025: Carlos Alazraqui voiced Acatzin for the English track. Carlos Alazraqui facebook
September 30, 2025: The Batman Mythology and Aztec Inspiration featurette has been posted. Warner Bros. Entertainment YouTube
October 1, 2025: Full list of English dub cast credits posted. DCAUR Tweet
October 3, 2025: Interview with Ernie Altbacker. The project started out as a 6 episode prestige series at 40 minutes each then it was changed to a trilogy of movies then to two movies then to one movie. While writing, Atlbacker learned there were no doors or tables in Aztec life. Before Aztec was settled on, Incan and Mayan were considered. Anima pitched the movie to Warner Brothers in 2019. Altbacker wrote between January and June 2020. There were six 2 month spans when they had no idea what was happening with the movie. At on point, Forest Ivy calls forth a mud creature based on Clayface but it was cut. There was a feral kid with a sling who would be Robin but he was cut early in the process to minimize the number of origin stories. At first, the villain was Ra's al Ghul. He was the high priest and felt threatened by Yohu's father, also a priest, becoming popular so he claimed the gods told him to sacrifice Yohu's parents. Ra's and this storyline was struck down because there were "too many sacrifices" in the movie. The Film Junkees YouTube
