Blue Beetle Promo Introduces the DC Universe Hero

A new Blue Beetle promo, meant for the Brazilian market, has dropped online, aiming to familiarize casual moviegoers with the character of Jaime Reyes, who will head up the new DC Studios movie out this week. Jaime, the third character in the comics to go by the name Blue Beetle, will be the first to get a live-action theatrical feature, with the sister of Blue Beetle II (Ted Kord) serving as one of the film's antagonists. The featurette seen below, introduced by star Xolo Maridueña, centers on introducing Jaime, a pretty typical kid who finds himself forced into being a superhero after a Scarab (is it magic? Alien technology? Both?) "bonds" with his body and gives him powers and a blue-and-black exosuit.

In the comics, original Blue Beetle Dan Garrett had a magical scarab that gave him some limited super powers, but he was also just a cop with some cool weapons, so it straddled the line a bit. Ted Kord's version of the Blue Beetle had the scarab only as ornamentation, with its powers inert. When Jaime was introduced during 2005's Infinite Crisis, he was introduced to the Scarab by Booster Gold, Ted's best friend. Eventually, Jaime would learn it was a weapon created by an alien race known as The Reach.

You can see it below.

New #Bluebeetle promo for Brazilpic.twitter.com/u0kPIHWjUA

— Blue Beetle Updates (@Bluebeetlenews) August 13, 2023

From Warner Bros. Pictures comes Blue Beetle, which arrives in theaters on August 18th, marking the DC superhero's first time on the big screen. The film, directed by Angel Manuel Soto, stars Xolo Maridueña in the title role as well as his alter ego, Jaime Reyes. Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero BLUE BEETLE.

Starring alongside Maridueña are Adriana Barraza, Damían Alcázar, Elpidia Carrillo, Bruna Marquezine, Raoul Max Trujillo, with Oscar winner Susan Sarandon, and George Lopez (the "Rio and "Smurf" franchises). The film also stars Belissa Escobedo and Harvey Guillén. Soto directs from a screenplay by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, based on characters from DC. John Rickard and Zev Foreman are producing, with Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman and Garrett Grant serving as executive producers.