DC’s next Batman movie will be different from everything that has come before for the Dark Knight, and in doing so, it will make major changes to classic villains from the comics, as well as Batman himself. There are multiple projects either starring Batman or involving characters from his side of the franchise at DC. That includes James Gunn’s DC Universe.

The new franchise takes over from the old DCEU movies as the new universe for DC. The new live-action Batman actor to replace Ben Affleck should debut in Batman’s The Brave and the Bold movie. The film’s script is being written right now, with details including Damian Wayne’s live-action debut, with other members of the Bat-Family also set to appear.

The Brave and the Bold is not the only live-action Batman movie on the way. Before that, there will be a sequel to Robert Pattinson’s The Batman. Now that director Matt Reeves has finally turned in the script for The Batman 2, the movie is set to begin filming soon. From 2025 to 2028, a Batman-related movie will be released every year.

The projects are: Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires, Clayface, The Batman 2, and Dynamic Duo. That makes Aztec Batman the Dark Knight’s next film to be released. As its name states, the movie lets go of Gotham City to bring the action to the Aztec Empire. This results in major changes to popular DC characters, providing a fresh take on the following:

The Joker

While many wait to see the first official look at Barry Keoghan’s Joker in The Batman 2, since he has only really appeared in shadows or a deleted scene so far, DC fans will be getting a new take on the villain before then. Aztec Batman‘s version of the Joker will be similar in appearance to other DC movie Jokers.

That said, black makeup that makes his eyes look like dark voids adds a new creepy factor to the bloodthirsty villain. Aztec Batman‘s Joker will also be called something else entirely: Yoka. The Joker has a new origin in the next Batman movie, being a priest who performs so many human sacrifices that madness gets the better of him.

Two-Face

Two-Face will likely be the most important DC villain in Batman’s next movie. That is because this version of the character is directly responsible for Batman’s creation. In Aztec Batman‘s world, Two-Face is none other than Hernán Cortés, the conquistador who ended the Aztec Empire in real life. Cortés kills Batman’s father, which leads to his quest for revenge.

Besides replacing Harvey Dent with Hernán Cortés as Two-Face, the next Batman movie also makes a few key changes to the character. Instead of having acid thrown on his face or being burned, Cortés becomes Two-Face after suffering a deep wound from Catwoman’s claws. This version of Two-Face looks distinct, as he wears conquistador armor, setting him apart from other Two-Faces.

Poison Ivy

Joker and Two-Face seem to be the only DC characters who will firmly be villains in Aztec Batman. While Poison Ivy has been depicted as such throughout her DC Comics history, there has been a recent push for her to be more of an anti-hero. Ivy will be taking on the role of a protector in the next Batman movie.

She gets a new name, being called Forest Ivy. The DC character’s role in the Batman movie will be to protect the forest from the invading conquistadors. While she generally looks the same — green skin and red hair — the Aztec inspiration for Poison Ivy’s costume is notable, with the character donning traditional jewelry and a headdress.

Catwoman

Catwoman is another character who has been a villain in DC Comics, but will not be one in the next Batman movie. She is also another one on the list who will have a name change. Instead of going by Catwoman, Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires will feature Jaguar Woman. That name change will also translate into costume changes.

The most notable feature is a jaguar-like headdress donned by the character. This iteration of Catwoman will be crucial to the next Batman movie, seemingly helping the Dark Knight fight off conquistadors, as she is the one to scratch Hernán Cortés, turning him into Two-Face. Catwoman will have claws, with her suit being more colorful than the character is known for.

Batman

Finally, the next Batman movie will also make some key changes to its main character, Batman. Bruce Wayne and Gotham City are gone, with the animated film being set in Tenochтιтlán. Batman will be Yohualli Coatl, a boy whose father, Toltecatzin, the village leader, is killed in cold blood by Hernán Cortés when he arrives with the conquistadors.

This leads him to become Batman. The film connects Batman’s rise to Aztec culture by having him train in the temple of Tzinacan, the bat god. This explains why he adopts the bat as his idenтιтy, complete with a bat headdress instead of a traditional cowl. The Batman movie promises a fresh take on classic DC characters, making it exciting.

Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires will be released on HBO Max on September 18, 2025.