Blue Beetle Director Explains Why the Latino DC Superhero Film Is For Everyone: "We're Not a Monolith"
The Blue Beetle movie has finally released its first trailer showing off the first look at what fans of DC Universe films can expect to see in Blue Beetle, and Blue Beetle director Angel Manuel Soto explained why the upcoming DC movie is for everyone as the Latino community is "not a monolith." Blue Beetle is gearing up to be one of the most important movies for James Gunn and Peter Safra's new slate of DC Universe movies as it has the potential to start the new wave of movies on the right foot despite not being a part of that new plan originally.
One of the major reasons Blue Beetle is going to be important too is that Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle will be the first major Latino superhero leading a film for DC Studios, and with the debut of the trailer for the upcoming Blue Beetle, Blue Beetle director Angel Manuel Soto addressed why the movie is for all types of fans during a special event for the trailer's premiere (of which ComicBook.com was in attendance). "Well, because I am like everybody. [Blue Beetle star Xolo Maridueña] is like everybody. I'm as special as all of you. I'm not no less than anybody. My culture is not a buzzword. We exist and we coexist," Soto began.
Why Blue Beetle's Latino Superhero is For Everyone
"...[B]eing able to integrate those things that makes us special because the only thing that it does is it's a flavor," Soto continued explaining why a Latino family at the center is still for all audiences. "It's like laughter. People laugh differently, yet still laughter. So we grieve differently. We cry, we deal with loss differently, but still loss, right? So it's always nice to see something that we are used to seeing a little bit, with other superheroes that we love and we cherish, but what if we see it my way, our way? And invite the audience also to not feel repelled by it, come to the party."
"I don't take it lightly because we're not a monolith, and so we're never going to be able to tell everything," Soto continued. "Luckily for me, the way I see it, the job was already done. This is a Mexican family, so it is a Mexican family...It's nothing but that, but that doesn't mean that there is collective tissues between all of us with the collective memory and our blood history. But at the same time, it's not that different from the rest of the world, too. So a lot of the stuff can be taken and can be shared and can be a communal experience, even if you're not from the Latino community."
"That being said, I feel like me and the writer, Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, who is Mexican, from Queretaro, cannot get more authentic than that. The cast is Mexican, too. I cannot get more authentic than that," Soto continued when explaining why the Latino story at the heart of this will be authentic. "But as far as all the stuff, of course we want to do more. Some people might feel they don't see themselves. Some people might feel like they do. Overall, I think that, if anything, this is just the first of many, right? And yes, first of many Blue Beetles, but first of many other communities also being able to tell the stories in the way they feel authentic in telling them, but the voices that should tell those stories as well, with the respect and the honor that those communities deserve."
But Soto then emphasized how seeing this representation in this huge new format with Blue Beetle moves the needle forward overall too, "Also, I'm from Puerto Rico, as I guess I'm very obvious about it. But being able to see something that feels like home in IMAX, not in news, because it's always news or postcards. It's almost like we are more than that. And I say Puerto Rico, but I'm part of a bigger community as well...It's being able to see our community as well represented not just as cliches, but maybe being a hero for once. What better way than to see it in the biggest screen possible?"
What did you think of Blue Beetle's first trailer? How do you feel about its cultural representation so far? Let us know all of your thoughts about it in the comments! You can even reach out to me directly about all things animation and other cool stuff @Valdezology on Twitter!