- Blue Beetle is an upcoming DC superhero movie.
- Blue Beetle stars Xolo Mariduena.
- Blue Beetle will be released in theaters on August 18.
A new superhero is going to take the world by storm this summer. That hero is Jamie Reyes/Blue Beetle, and he’s being played by Cobra Kai star Xolo Mariduena in the upcoming DC superhero film. Jamie Reyes is a Mexican-American teenager who gains superpowers after an alien scarab grafts onto him. Blue Beetle is making history as the first DC Universe movie to star a Latino lead. The first trailer that dropped April 3 shows that Xolo, 21, is the perfect fit for the role of Jamie Reyes.
The character of Blue Beetle was introduced in the DC Comics in 2006, so he’s a relatively new to the superhero world. Fans are definitely going to fall in love with Jamie Reyes when they meet him on the big screen this summer. Here is everything you need to know about Blue Beetle, including the release date, the cast, and more.
Blue Beetle Release Date
Blue Beetle is arriving in theaters on August 18. Initially, the film was going to be released only on HBO Max. But in December 2021, Warner Bros. announced that the superhero flick was getting a theatrical release.
Blue Beetle Trailer
He’s A Superhero, Whether He Likes It Or Not #BlueBeetle – Only in Theaters August 18 pic.twitter.com/nsI2i938RB
— Blue Beetle (@bluebeetle) April 3, 2023
The Blue Beetle trailer arrived on April 3, giving fans their first glimpse at Xolo Mariduena in action as the young superhero. In the trailer, Jamie Reyes encounters an alien scarab which transforms him into the Blue Beetle with an epic costume. Jamie has to learn how to control his powers and his suit, as he learns that the scarab is “some kind of world-destroying weapon.” A villainous character named Victoria Kord tells Jamie “the scarab chose you, but it belongs to me.” Jamie’s family, which includes his dad Alberto and his mom Rocio, are in danger, and only Jamie can save them.
Blue Beetle Cast & Crew
Cast
Xolo Mariduena plays the titular hero in Blue Beetle. Xolo is best known for playing Miguel Diaz in Cobra Kai. He’s the first Latin actor to lead a DC superhero movie. Xolo is of Mexican, Cuban and Ecuadorian decent.
Oscar winner Susan Sarandon is playing Victoria Kord. Sharon Stone was originally in talks to play that role. In the comics, Victoria is the sister of Ted Kord, who was the Blue Beetle before Jamie. The trailer makes it seem that Victoria is going to be the villain in the film.
The Blue Beetle cast also includes George Lopez as Jamie’s uncle, Adriana Barraza as Jamie’s grandmother, Damian Alcazar as Jamie’s father, Elpidia Carrillo as Jamie’s mother, Belissa Escobedo as Jamie’s sister, Bruna Marquezine as Jamie’s love interest, and Harvey Guillen as Dr. Sanchez.
Crew
Angel Manuel Soto directed Blue Beetle. This is his first superhero movie. John Rickard and Zev Foreman are the producers on the film. Pawel Pogorzelski is the cinematographer, Craig Alpert is the editor, and Bobby Krlic is the music composer. Filming on the movie took place from May 2022 to July 2022.
Blue Beetle Plot Details
The official Blue Beetle plot synopsis reads, “Recent college graduate Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As Jaime searches to find his purpose, he finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology, the Scarab. When the Scarab chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with a suit of armor capable of extraordinary powers, changing his destiny as he becomes Blue Beetle.”
After the first trailer was released, Angel Manuel Soto and Xolo Mariduena did interviews with the press and spoke about how family is a big theme in the film. Xolo explained, “We see some of these other superheroes, who can hide from their family that they’re a superhero. But [Jamie’s] family is right there with him on that first transformation. To come through this journey together is something we haven’t seen in superhero movies, and it’s the beating heart of this movie.”
Blue Beetle Future
As fans know, the DC Universe is being reshaped under James Gunn and Peter Safran‘s leadership, leaving the fate of many of the heroes we’ve gotten to know on the big screen up in the air. However, Deadline reported on April 3 that Jamie Reyes/Blue Beetle “will be incorporated” in the new DCU. If that’s true, then Blue Beetle will only be the beginning of this new superhero’s story!