Warner Bros. Pictures is set to introduce the iconic DC Super Hero Blue Beetle to the big screen for the first time in a thrilling new feature film. Directed by Ángel Manuel Soto, the film stars Xolo Maridueña, who plays both the titular character and his alter ego, Jaime Reyes.
The story revolves around recent college graduate Jaime Reyes, who returns home with ambitious dreams for his future, only to discover that things are not as he left them. As he navigates his way through life searching for his purpose, destiny intervenes when he unexpectedly becomes the bearer of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab.
The Scarab bestows upon Jaime an incredible suit of armor with extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his fate as he transforms into the heroic Blue Beetle.
Blue Beetle’s Latino Roots
Blue Beetle has a rich history in the DC comics universe. The character first appeared in 1939 in Mystery Men Comics #1 as Dan Garrett, an archaeologist who stumbled upon a magical scarab in an Egyptian ruin. Over time, the mantle of Blue Beetle was passed on to brilliant inventor Ted Kord in the 1960s Captain Atom #83, and eventually, the character evolved once more, introducing Jaime Reyes in Infinite Crisis #3 2006, a college graduate from El Paso, Texas, with a close-knit Mexican American family.
Director Angel Manuel Soto feels that Jaime Reyes will be relatable to audiences, ““Jaime is more than just a relatable character, I think Jaime speaks for a lot of the situations that we face in real life. He’s a kid that believed in an idea of progress and is playing by the rules and is staying in his lane. His family came [to Palmera City] before he did and they did all the hard work, and all of it has been headed for him to become this promise of progress and the pursuit of the American dream. And once he follows the rules and comes back, he realizes that a lot of those things are not like they said it would be, that life often brings surprises and to people like him, it’s not as easy as go to college, come back and make a career.”
The screenplay, penned by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, aims to blend a classic hero’s origin story with authentic Latin culture while incorporating a visual tone that mixes magical realism with the genuine human emotions inspired by the Reyes family. For intense action and fight sequences, director Ángel Manuel Soto and his team looked to the beloved video game Injustice 2 to draw inspiration.
Dunnet-Alocer says, “Being a DC Universe writer is something that the 11-year-old me in Queretaro would never have believed. Where I come from, being a startup filmmaker working in Hollywood, to my family it’s like, ‘No mames güey, you don’t know anybody, anywhere, remotely related to movie making!’ The leap is so insane that even now, either I’m waiting for something really bad to happen—just kidding, I’m not jinxing anything!— but I have to pinch myself because I don’t really…it doesn’t dawn on me… When I first started talking to Ángel [Manuel Soto] when he joined the project, I kept telling him, man, the 11-year-old in me, he wouldn’t believe it!”
In this first-ever live-action adaptation of Blue Beetle, the filmmakers have created a new home for Jaime and his family: Palmera City, a vibrant urban setting reminiscent of iconic locations like Metropolis and Central City, while paying homage to El Paso with a handful of Easter eggs and nods. Jaime’s return home is met with unexpected challenges, including a failing family business, rent spikes due to gentrification, and his father’s health issues.
REELated:
Xolo Maridueña who plays Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle addressed being the first Latin Super Hero to hit the screen in the DC Universe.“It’s a dream, surreal is really the only word I can use for it, but for as long as I can remember, Jaime Reyes is the biggest Latin Super Hero in the DC Universe. Growing up, my mom was a huge fan of comics and I think she passed down that liking to me, and it was always a dream to play this role and to get into this character.”
Maridueña adds, “I think the most exciting thing about Jaime and Blue Beetle is the family aspect. I really think a superhero movie hasn’t tackled that yet. You see the superheroes and they are the perfect human beings—he’s buff, he can’t do anything wrong, he always knows what to do. I think a lot of the charm of Jaime is that he doesn’t necessarily always know what to do, and very similar to myself, sometimes you’re going through life and making decisions and the surety of knowing what you’re doing is the right thing isn’t always there. But the support system Jaime has because of his family and friends is, I think, really what makes Jaime him. I relate to that so much—my family is so integral in my growing up and everything, they feel a little inseparable at some times, and Jaime definitely feels that way as well.
In the midst of these struggles, fate takes an unexpected turn as Jaime encounters Jenny, the daughter of Ted Kord, who entrusts him with a relic that will change the lives of the entire Reyes family forever.
Blue Beetle promises to bring a fresh and rich Latino perspective to the world of DC Super Heroes, introducing audiences to a new and unique character with deep cultural roots and an exhilarating journey ahead.
Blue Beetle soars into theaters only internationally beginning 16 August 2023 and in North America August 18, 2023. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.
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The Geek is a working screenwriter, director and screenwriting instructor.
