Maya and the Three Director Shares a Look Behind the Scenes at the Series' Action

Netflix has provided ComicBook with an exclusive look behind the scenes of its new animated fantasy Maya and the Three. The miniseries centers on a spirited princess with the heart of a warrior embarks on a mission to fulfill an ancient prophecy and save humanity from the wrath of vengeful gods. Running nine episodes, it premiered last month and has drawn acclaim from audiences and critics alike. With an all-star cast and groundbreaking animation, the series is likely to be remembered for a long time to come, and already has fans hoping for a potential return to the world. 

In the featurette, seen below, cast and crew take a look at the action sequences in the series. Packed with character and tightly paced, the fights are some of the series' most visually impressive elements. 

"We took every fight very seriously," Jorge R. Gutiérrez, the creator and director, says in the video. "They're all like mini-movies. We kinda have one of those at least in every episode."

He says that he rewatched big movies like The Lord of the Rings and Seven Samurai to get inspiration for the action scenes, one of which felt bigger than the production of his film The Book of Life, which was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film in 2014.

"From the start everyone knew the last chapter would be a giant epic battle," Gutiérrez told ComicBook. "With that said, I'm not sure everyone expected it to be that ridiculously epic. As every episode kept moving forward I remember thinking, how the hell am I gonna top all this for the finale. I admit writing that first draft was brutal and I literally cried a ton. It had to be huge in music, themes, scope, effects, crowds, action but more than anything, it had to be huge in emotions. Everything that was set up in previous chapters for the characters, and especially Maya, had to pay off in ways that were familiar but surprising. And it was easy for the audience to get battle fatigued if we were not careful. Making that last chapter was like juggling chainsaws on fire while singing opera atop a moving train."

Set in a fictional fantasy world, Maya and the Three is an exciting action packed adventure full of heart and humor, inspired by a rich, vibrant mixture of Aztec, Maya, and Inca mythology, and modern-day Caribbean culture.

"I was born and raised in Mexico City so this is the culture I come from," Gutiérrez added. "This is a fun Mesoamrican inspired fantasy world like Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones but my hope is it will be a gateway for kids from all over the world to look into the ancient mythologies and cultures of the Aztecs, Mayans, Incas and the Caribbean. My dream is to see kids from all over the world dressed up like Maya, Rico, Chimi, Picchu and Zatz."

Featuring an incredible all star voice cast including Zoe Saldaña, Gabriel Iglesias, Allen Maldonado, Stephanie Beatriz, Diego Luna, Gael García Bernal, Alfred Molina, Kate del Castillo, Danny Trejo, Cheech Marin, Rosie Perez, Queen Latifah, Wyclef Jean, Jorge R. Gutiérrez, Sandra Equihua, Isabela Merced, Chelsea Rendon, Joaquín Cosío, Carlos Alazraqui, Eric Bauza, and Rita Moreno.

You can catch Maya and the Three on Netflix now.