Danny Trejo Compares The Cultural Relevance Of Machete To Superman And Batman

Over the course of his career in Hollywood, Danny Trejo has appeared in several legendary films and TV shows. From action classics like "Heat" and "Con Air," to appearances in more family-friendly fare like the "Spy Kids" films, he has proven himself time and again as one of Hollywood's most notable character actors. However, it wasn't until he stepped into the role of Machete that he was able to truly move into the spotlight. 

The brainchild of director Robert Rodriguez, Machete — a legendary Mexican mercenary played by Trejo — was first seen in the "Spy Kids" films. Trejo was then seen in a fake "Machete"  trailer shown in "Grindhouse," the B-movie love letter co-directed by Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. This film consisted of both "Planet Terror," as well as "Death Proof," with fake film trailers separating them. Three years after "Grindhouse," "Machete" was developed into its own standalone film and debuted with Trejo returning for the titular role.

Now, with two full movies under his belt, Machete has become an icon in his own right. In fact, Trejo himself recently opened up and addressed the iconography of the character, drawing notable comparisons to beloved DC superheroes such as Batman and Superman. Here is what the silver screen icon had to say about Machete's place in the annals of pop culture history.

One of the fascinating elements of the Machete character is that Danny Trejo feels as though he has given Mexican children a superhero of their own. In fact, Trejo said as much in a recent interview where he broke down his most iconic characters (via GQ). Recalling his first Halloween after the debut of "Machete" in 2010, Trejo explained that he saw several children dressed up as his character when they came to trick or treat at his door. 

"The first Halloween after 'Machete,' I open the door to give kids candy, and a lot of the Mexican kids were dressed as Machete with the mustache," Trejo said. "They see me and, 'Hey Machete!' It was kind of cool, you know? The little Mexican kids ... didn't have to be Batman or Superman. They were Machete."

So, for Trejo, it was seemingly not just a matter of playing a character. Once he saw the impact that "Machete" had on young viewers, he felt proud to have brought the character to life. By his own admission, he had helped create a character that Mexican kids would want to dress up as, as opposed to dressing up like Batman or Superman. 

Now, with a possible "Machete" sequel set in space (via Discussing Film), it seems reasonable to assume that more kids may show up at Trejo's door dressed as him for Halloween. This time, however, they may wear space suits for the occasion.