Blue Beetle Star Xolo Mariduena Explains How Cobra Kai Prepared Him to Be DC’s Next Hero

Actor Xolo Marideuña has spent the past few years on TV screens around the world, playing young karate student Miguel Diaz, one of the lead characters in Netflix’s hit series Cobra Kai. The Karate Kid sequel has given Maridueña plenty of practice coordinating fights, stunts, and action sequences, all of which will help him in his next role. 

DC and Warner Bros. are bringing Blue Beetle to theaters in 2023 (after initially planning it as an HBO Max release), and Maridueña has landed the titular role, easily the biggest of his career so far. Fortunately for the actor, Cobra Kai has helped prepare him to make the leap to the world of superheroes.

“This is really gonna be a stepping stone in my life,” Maridueña told Variety in a recent interview. “I’ve gotten the chance to build chemistry with these people over the years on Cobra Kai. To try to recreate that chemistry in a much shorter amount of time is gonna be difficult, but all of these guys are professionals. I know that I’m in the hands of people who are the best at what they do. The opportunity at Cobra Kai has really blessed me; I can do stunts, we can do crazy stuff. Adding this new level of green screen and suits and CGI and all of this will add a whole new crazy level to it that I’m so excited for.”

Maridueña went on to talk a little bit about the Blue Beetle movie itself, though most details are still being kept a secret. 

“I don’t know how much I can speak on, but what I can speak on is the fact that the thing that is really going to shine in this movie is that the Latino experience is not a monolith,” the actor explained. “It’s not a one-size-fits-all story. Whether you speak zero Spanish or are fluent, you’re not more Latino than someone else. The reality is that you can come from whatever background and at the end of the day you’re all gonna come together for this mission or whatever it is. The familial togetherness is what makes us Latino and the fact that we’re gonna ride for each other, that’s what makes us Latino, not this language. Don’t get me wrong, there’s gonna be Spanish in the movie. We’re gonna speak Spanish; it’s gonna be how it feels at home, but Spanish isn’t the only reason for that.”

DC’s Blue Beetle is currently set to arrive in theaters on August 18, 2023.