Blue Beetle Is Reportedly Going to Be “Really Important” to DC Films Universe

DC’s Blue Beetle movie was a project that a lot fans were worried was being put on the chopping block of the new Warner Bros. Discovery era of DC Films – but it’s looking like Blue Beetle is going to be okay. Maybe even more than just okay. According to a new interview with Blue Beetle star Xolo Maridueña, Warner Bors. always intended for Blue Beetle to be nothing less than a “really important” project in the DC Films Universe. 

In a new interview with THR, Xolo Maridueña recalls how he was cast in Blue Beetle as main character Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle without having to audition – and how nervous he was showing up for the meeting with Warner Bros./DC Films president Walter Hama. As it turns out Xolo didn’t have to be nervous – DC/WB was recruiting him for big things in the franchise. 

According to Maridueña, Hamada let him now that, “This role of Blue Beetle is going to be really important to this universe. We want to just make sure that whoever we go with is a real person and we’re not just hiring a face. It’s about more than what’s in front of the camera.”

Blue Beetle has been an interesting project to see take shape over at DC/WB. The movie was originally supposed to be an HBO Max release, but the strength of the production had the studio upgrade into a theatrical release. 

As for what about Blue Beetle makes it so important? Well, in the comics the story of Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle is connected to much bigger DC lore. Jaime was the third person in the DC Universe to take up the mantle of Blue Beetle from Ted Kord, one of the more famous heroes in the history of the Justice League. Jaime’s story rebooted the Blue Beetle mythos to reveal that the Egyptian scarab that gives Jaime a suit of powerful armor is alien in nature. The aliens that controlled it, “The Reach,” lost control of the scarab due to mystical influences – Jaime becomes one of the heroes caught up in the middle of The Reach’s invasion of Earth. The Blue Beetle movie could easily open the door to a new invasion story – one that could pull together everyone from the Green Lantern Corps., Peacemaker, the Teen Titans, Batman and others. 

In addition to Xolo Maridueña in the titular role, Blue Beetle stars Susan Sarandon, Bruna Marquezine, Belissa Escobedo, George Lopez, Adriana Barraza, Elpidia, Damian Alcazar, Harvey Guillen, and Raoul Max Trujillo. The film is being directed by Angel Manuel Sota (Charm City Kings) with a script from Gareth Dunnet-Alcoce (Contrapelo).

Blue Beetle is set for release in 2023.