Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios was first unveiled on June 13, 2022, during the Guadalajara International Film Festival as an original animated project for HBO Max Latin America.
The film reimagines the Dark Knight through the lens of Aztec mythology, blending DC's iconic hero with rich Mesoamerican history.
Since its initial announcement, updates on the project have been minimal...until now.
Ahead of Superman screenings in Mexico, a trailer for Batman Azteca has reportedly been shown in theaters.
Fans have since leaked the footage on social media, giving audiences their first real look at the ambitious animated film.
Aztec Batman: Choque de Imperios is set to make a big appearance at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, where fans are hoping for the long-awaited reveal of its official release date. The panel is scheduled for Thursday, July 24 at 3:30 p.m. PT in Room 6BCF.
Director Juan Meza-León is expected to attend the event, joined by several voice cast members.
The official synopsis for the film reads, "In the time of the Aztec Empire, Yohualli Coatl — a young Aztec boy — experiences tragedy when his father and village leader, Toltecatzin, is murdered by Spanish Conquistadors. Yohualli escapes to Tenochtitlan to warn King Moctezuma and his high priest, Yoka, of the imminent danger. Using the bat god Tzinacan’s temple 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."
Besides an Aztec version of The Dark Knight, other Batman mythos characters confirmed to appear (albeit reimagined) include Alfred, Catwoman, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, and the Joker.
During the 2023 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Peter Girardi, executive vice president of alternative programming at Warner Bros. stated, "We have done different interpretations of Batman in the past, specifically in Japan, so it’s a format we were familiar with. But it’s a whole new story, set in that [specific] time."
Meza-Leon has also previously discussed the project on record, stating, "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."