The animated movie Aztec Batman: Clash of the Empires avoids using one specific color for historical accuracy reasons. Aztec Batman: Clash of the Empires reimagines DC’s Dark Knight as a Mesoamerican warrior who faces the arrival of the conquistadors. This groundbreaking take on Batman promises to stay true to the Caped Crusader’s lore as well as to real-life history.
At San Diego Comic-Con 2025, ScreenRant interviewed Aztec Batman: Clash of the Empires director Juan Meza-Leon, producers Jose Carlos de Letona and Aaron Berger, Spanish Joker dub Raymond Cruz and Spanish Batman dub Horacio García Rojas. Producer Aaron Berger revealed that the movie limits the color blue due to its cultural significance. Read Berger’s full explanation.
ScreenRant: Now there’s this real strong sense of cultural pride and authenticity. Can you talk about working with any kind of historians or culture advisors on this, Aaron?
Aaron Berger: “Sure. Well, we worked with a premier cultural advisor from Mexico City, and he is one of the preeminent professors on Aztec culture. And we integrated [that information] not just in the narrative, because we wanted to stay true to the historical facts, but in terms of creating the visuals that Juan and Jose Carlos and the team at Ánima did in terms of recreating Tenochтιтlan and making it a living city as opposed to the ruins that we visit.
The essence of it came through the letters from Cortez back to Spain, describing what they saw, because much of that has already been destroyed. And so we were very conscious of doing the things that were necessary to convey [the culture] in the most accurate light possible. Jose Carlos likes to talk about why we couldn’t use the color blue, because that was reserved for deities. So, you won’t see people wearing blue garb in Tenochтιтlan and the rest of it.
The artists, both there and throughout the rest of Latin America, were so inspired by having the opportunity to tell part of their story. Even if it’s dressed in DC, the DC part becomes universal, and then [there’s] the specificity of the Mexican culture. By using a historical consultant, it makes it even more universal, because now everybody can see and imagine themselves in these characters.”
What The Aztec Batman Producer’s Comments Mean
Aztec Batman’s Historical Accuracy Is One Of Its Strengths
Aztec Batman’s deliberate decision to limit the color blue respects real-life Aztec society, where color symbolism held deep spiritual and hierarchical significance. Blue was ᴀssociated with divinity, especially in representations of gods like Huitzilopochtli, the god of war and the sun. While it isn’t obvious, such a subtle detail helps viewers intuitively grasp Aztec Batman‘s historical and cultural context.
This kind of creative decision is subtle but crucial when adapting an iconic, globally recognized property like Batman. As seen in the Aztec Batman trailer, the movie’s setting and character updates take all the attention. However, it’s choices like the color palette that quietly reframe Batman’s world. This is the most effective way to make the story more immersive.
The involvement of a historical consultant elevates Aztec Batman‘s quality. It ensures that the animated movie’s creative liberties remain tethered to real-world history. Such attention to detail enriches the viewing experience and sets a new precedent for how future DC adaptations can authentically explore non-Western settings. Aztec Batman showcases the universality of Batman’s themes, which also thrive in culturally distinct reinterpretations without losing their resonance.
Our Take On The Aztec Batman Producer’s Comments
Aztec Batman Follows A DC Batsuit Trend
While Aztec Batman stays true to its Mesoamerican setting, it continues a long-running adaptation trend. Curiously, yet another cinematic Batman doesn’t wear the classic gray-and-blue costume that defined the hero throughout much of the Silver Age. For all the variations on the Batsuit, the gray-and-blue color scheme remains elusive in feature-length leading roles.
Even recent live-action films that teased the possibility didn’t fully commit. Both Justice League and The Flash featured Ben Affleck in slightly blue-tinged tactical suits, but neither design fully embraced the gray-and-blue palette from the comics. The only movie Batsuit to do it is one of the blink-and-you-miss-it easter egg costumes in Michael Keaton’s Batcave in The Flash.
-
San Diego Comic-Con
- Dates
-
July 25-28, 2024
- Location
-
San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA
- Website
-
