Blue Beetle Praised By 27 Latino Organizations As Strikes Continue

Blue Beetle netted the support of 27 Latin Hollywood organizations ahead of the DC Comics movie's release. While initial estimates around the Anguel Manuel Soto picture might have been a little lower than expected, those numbers have surged forward. Now, with this letter, it's clear that multiple communities are fully behind Xolo Maridueña's young hero. Listed among the supporters are the Latino Film Institute, National Association of Latino Independent Producers, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, LA Collab, and the National Hispanic Media Coalition. The push to #SupportLatinoCreatives has never been more pronounced. Read some of the letter below.

"Stories are more than entertainment. They are a powerful tool for social change that fuels our collective movement to build a more equitable, just world for those who have been historically underrepresented and marginalized," the letter argues. "Actors, writers, and directors are essential to this work."

It continues, "As we watch them do what they do best, we are reminded that their art influences how people think and feel about our communities – both at home and abroad. While we're encouraged by some of the changes we have seen in recent years, we continue to deal with the repercussions from years of being actively erased and invisible on screen."

Xolo Maridueña Wants To Be Blue Beetle For A Decade

The Blue Beetle star wants to be in the DC Universe for the long haul. Maridueña recently chatted with Entertainment Weekly about the movie before the strike. He's been overjoyed to explore his Latin roots and develop the family surrounding this character.  Sign the Cobra Kai up for the part of Jaime Reyes for 12 years if they will have him.

"I think what surprised me the most was reading the script before filming the movie." Maridueña said. "This is a Latino character, and I was curious how far we were going to lean into it, what elements we were going to show. How were we going to deliver on that big ask? Honestly, I was just jaw-droppingly blown away." 

"It was a cathartic experience reading the script because I had the realization that my whole upbringing... I mean, every family dinner that was placed on the table, I wasn't calling it Mexican food, right? I was just calling it dinner. I was just calling it food. And I had that same homey feeling [while reading the script]," he continued. "The family felt natural, even though it wasn't my own family. I could understand every one of the characters and feel that familial love. I was really surprised at how well they were able to capture that. And then, bringing it onto the screen was 10 times better because you've got f---ing George Lopez and Adriana Barraza and Belissa Escobedo, so it was just the most fun filming. I want to do 12 more years of Blue Beetle."

What Happens In Blue Beetle's Debut?

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 Blue Beetle? Let us know down in the comments!