Blue Beetle Star Teases Her Character’s Relationship with Ted Kord

Blue Beetle arrives in theaters next month, bringing the story of Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle (Xolo Maridueña) to life onscreen. Amid Blue Beetle‘s focus on Jaime and his family, the film is expected to acknowledge other heroes in the DC Universe — and it sounds like the history of one will be felt throughout the film. Susan Sarandon, who will be portraying Victoria Kord in the film, recently explained her character’s motivation in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. In the process, she confirmed Victoria’s relationship with her brother, Ted Kord (also known as the second Blue Beetle), who apparently tanked Kord Industries and then disappeared in some sort of fashion.

“She’s a woman who is very smart and was dedicated to the family business, and then the father gives it to the son, which is a huge shock,” Sarandon explained. “On top of that, the son is very irresponsible and basically destroys the fortune that has been built, and then just disappears, leaving her to put the business to sleep. Then she builds it back, but with great resentment because she’s been passed over.”

“Here she is, the only one who really made [the family business] her life,” Sarandon continued. “She has no family, she has no friends. She’s not interested in anything but Kord Industries. She doesn’t shop, she doesn’t hang out with her girlfriends. She doesn’t have a lover; if she does, it’s nobody important. So, everything has gone towards the building of power.”

Who Is Ted Kord?

Created by Steve Ditko in a backup feature of 1966’s Captain Atom #83, Ted Kord carried a lot of the spirit and status quo of Fox’s Dan Garret, fighting crime with a string of bug-shaped weapons (including a bug-themed ship, which could be seen in the Blue Beetle trailer). When DC acquired Charlton’s heroes in the mid-1980s, Ted was subsequently integrated into the main DC Universe, getting his own solo series in the late 80s. He subsequently joined the Justice League International, becoming one of the team’s most prolific members, and the best friend of fellow superhero Booster Gold. In more recent years, Ted became a friend and ally to the Birds of Prey. In Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Ted was brutally murdered by Maxwell Lord, and spent his final moments wondering if and how he would have a successor. He later was resurrected in the events of Brightest Day, but appeared sporadically up until the DC Rebirth reboot.

“Her relationship with Ted and the fact Ted has a daughter is very present in the movie,” Soto explained. “A lot of Ted’s gadgets are also important to the film. So being able to keep the idea of Ted and Dan Garrett in the movie and how that came to be, does help Jaime understand what he’s going through. Some of the people around him are fans of Blue Beetle. It’s Jaime’s story, but the context still exists, and a lot of it was thought out and executed and done with the intention of bringing someone back in the future.”

What Is Blue Beetle About?

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.

Are you excited for DC’s Blue Beetle movie? How do you feel about these connections to Ted Kord? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!