Tag Archives: Aztec Empire

Juan Meza-León to Direct Animated Film “Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios” for HBO Max Latin America

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Juan Meza-León is bringing Batman south of the border…

HBO Max Latin America has ordered an original animated feature-length film, directed by the 44-year-old Mexican filmmaker, that takes the DC Comics character to Mexico.

Juan Meza-León The streamer will launch the Dark Knight story Batman Azteca: Choque de Imperios.

The animated feature comes from Warner Bros. Animation and DC in partnership with Anima and Chatrone.

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 imminent 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.

In addition Meza-León serving as director, the film also features José C. García de Letona, Aaron D. Berger, Carina Schulze and Fernando De Fuentes as producers.

The film will be produced entirely in Mexico, feature local talent and showcase the region’s abundant art. Sam Register and Tomás Yankelevich serve as executive producers.

Alejandro Díaz Barriga, a consultant specializing in Mesoamerican studies and ethnic history of Mexico and the Andean region, will work with the creative team to ensure that the indigenous representation portrayed in the film is appropriate and relevant.

Guillermo Vizcaino’s Video Game “Aztech Forgotten Gods” Being Developed into Live Action Latinx-Themed Film

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It’s game on (film) for Guillermo Vizcaino…

Impossible Dream Entertainment and Lienzo Gaming Studio have teamed up on Aztech, a live action Latinx-themed feature film based on the upcoming video game Aztech Forgotten Gods, created by the Latino video producer/writer.

Guillermo Vizcaino

The premise is a revisionist historical telling of Aztec history, sprinkled with an extraterrestrial antagonist. In what sounds like Mexico and Central America’s answer to Wakanda, European powers never arrived on the shores of ancient Mesoamerica.

The story takes place in a future where the Aztec empire was never conquered, and flourished into a hyper-advanced, cutting-edge civilization. The Aztec Empire’s capital, Tenochtitlan, has thrived for centuries as a stone metropolis, technologically elevated yet heavily rooted in the ways of those indigenous to the land.

That is, until supernatural beings suddenly start to converge on the ancient city, duping those who live there by masking themselves as ancient Aztec gods like the Feathered Serpent deity Quetzalcoatl or Mictlantecuhtli the Lord of the Underworld. Their goal is to enslave the inhabitants.

Seeing through their ruse is an unlikely twentysomething heroine named Achtli, whose arm has been replaced with a powerful gauntlet-like ancient stone weapon. She leads the opposition and uncovers the mystery behind these beings.

The game, created by Lienzo’s Vizcaino, will be released on all the major gaming platforms in late summer.

The producers wanted to find an original property steeped in Mexican and Latin American mythology, and found their way to the gaming studio based in Chihuahua, Mexico.

“With Aztech, it’s fun to envision what world building can be achieved through the many multi-dimensional characters, the mythology and vast cultural storylines,” say producers.

Lienzo sparked to “fleshing out a Mexican story with a Mexican team,” said game writer Vizcaino. “There’s such a rich history behind the Aztecs, and merging that with an anime-inspired futuristic story gave us the chance to make something really special.”

Bardem to Portray Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortes on the Big Screen?

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Javier Bardem could soon be experiencing Montezuma’s revenge…

The 44-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning actor has reportedly expressed interest in starring as Spanish explorer and conquistador Hernan Cortes, the man who caused the fall of the Aztec Empire, in the film Montezuma.

Javier Bardem

The film, one of Hollywood’s fabled projects that Steven Spielberg hopes to direct, will be rewritten and produced by Steve Zaillian, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Montezuma, explores the complicated relationship between Cortes and the Aztec emperor Montezuma.

Hernan Cortes

The original script was written in the 1960s by Dalton Trumbo, the screenwriter who was part of the Hollywood Ten and was blacklisted in the 1950s. It was intended to reteam the writer with star Kirk Douglas, who starred in Trumbo’s classic Spartacus.

The project fell by the wayside but now has found a home, decades later, with DreamWorks.

Spielberg has been looking for a project to direct since shelving Robopocalypse last year. He had intended to direct Bradley Cooper in American Sniper but parted ways with Warner Bros. over budgetary differences. (Clint Eastwood is now on board to direct that project, which should shoot this year.)

Spielberg is notorious for developing, some might even say overdeveloping, projects but not pulling the trigger. But Zaillian and Spielberg have a long history, and the two made Schindler’s List into a Oscar-winning hit. It is, however, unclear what other projects Spielberg is developing in addition to Montezuma that might vie for his attention.

Also unclear is where the project will ultimately land. DreamWorks has a first-look deal with Disney and its movies are released under the Touchstone label. Disney will get first crack at the project and if it passes, Fox could be a possible home as Zaillian and his shingle, Film Rites, have their first-look there.