Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires Streaming On HBO Max

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Fans of Batman are eagerly anticipating when The Dark Knight will grace the big screen again in Matt Reeves’ highly anticipated The Batman Part II in 2027 and in The Brave and the Bold, which has no set release date. Luckily, fans can check out the DC Comics hero’s latest animated adventure right now.

Previously, Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires was released in September on Blu-ray and DVD and as a digital purchase or rental. However, those who were waiting patiently for its premiere on the streaming platform that already houses most other DC Comics adaptations can finally see this unique take on the iconic superhero in action.

Originally released as a Spanish-language cut in Mexican theaters under its alternative title, Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios, director Juan Meza-León’s animated feature reimagines the lore of Batman’s origin by moving away from modern Gotham City and relocating to where and when Mesoamerican culture thrived. Furthermore, instead of Bruce Wayne, this Elseworlds tale follows Yohualli Coatl (voiced by Horacio García Rojas and Jay Hernandez in the English dub), who witnesses the murder of his father, Toltecatzin, as a teenager, inspiring him to avenge the tragedy as a brutal warrior dressed as a creature of the night.

Raymond Cruz Plays A Unique Take On The Joker

One of the most notable names in the English-language voice cast for Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires, in addition to DC movie veteran Jay Hernandez (El Diablo in 2016’s Suicide Squad), is Raymond Cruz. Cruz is best known for starring on Breaking Bad as unstable drug lord Tuco Salamanca — a character he found so challenging to play that he requested to be killed off the groundbreaking crime drama.

His acclaimed performance as Tuco may have been instrumental in him landing the part of one of the main antagonists in Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires, who is a version of The Joker known as Yoka. Cruz shares the role, a former priest turned evil after “one bad day,” with Omar Chaparro, who handles the role in the Spanish-language cut.

In the film, Yoka teams up with a variant of Two-Face who is actually inspired by real-life conquistador Hernán Cortés, who is also the man responsible for the death of Yohualli Coatl's father. He earns his unflattering nickname after an attempt on his life leaves him with half of his face severely damaged, much like what happens to Harvey Dent in the comics. The character is voiced in both the English and Spanish-language cuts of the film by Álvaro Morte.

Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires also stars Jorge R. Gutiérrez as Toltecatzin, as well as Teresa Ruiz as a variant of Catwoman known as Jaguar Woman, who moonlights as a thief but helps Yohualli Coatl to protect her own people. The film also features a version of Poison Ivy reinterpreted as a mythological entity called Forest Ivy, who is voiced by Maya Zapata.

Warner Bros. Animation Studios is already hard at work on Batman's next animated adventure, which will take inspiration from the legendary comic book arc called Knightfall. The story, which was told between April 1993 and 1994, involves Bruce Wayne suffering a debilitating injury at the hands of his equally clever, but stronger, adversary, Bane, forcing him to enlist the help of a vigilante named Jean-Paul Valley to protect Gotham City in his place under the name Azrael.

Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires is now available to stream on HBO Max.