2023's Blue Beetle is one of the final DC Universe movies set to release before Gunn and Safran's vision for the franchise begins in earnest, and the character of Jaime Reyes, from his origins to his superpowers, isn't as well-known as many other DC heroes. A film adaptation surrounding the DC Comics character of Blue Beetle was announced back in 2018. Since then, the film has undergone some changes, with the production initially planned for HBO Max under Walter Hamada's Warner Bros. leadership.
Blue Beetle is now set to release in the United States in theaters on August 18, 2023. The film is interesting in the wider case of the DC Universe, as it is one of the few that has the opportunity to straddle both the old DCEU and James Gunn's revamped DCU. Regardless, here is everything explained about the Blue Beetle.
Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle Origin In DC Comics
Jaime Reyes' DC Comic origins are fairly simple to track. Reyes was a young boy who lived in El Paso, Texas with his mother, father, and younger sister. Elsewhere, events took place that kickstarted Reyes' journey as Blue Beetle. In a story involving the previous Blue Beetle, Shazam, Maxwell Lord, and the Spectre, Shazam's lair was destroyed, which resulted in the extraterrestrial Blue Beetle Scarab being blasted to El Paso.
The Scarab was then found by Jaime on his way home from school one day, and the teenager's curiosity led him to take it home. That night, the Scarab reanimated and fixed itself to the base of Jaime's spine. Shortly after this, the superhero Booster Gold sought out Reyes, as the Scarab is the only thing capable of seeing the Brother Eye satellite, something Gold and Batman were attempting to destroy. Jaime went to space with Booster Gold and Batman as a result and was instrumental in disabling Brother Eye before the Scarab teleported him back to Earth.
The multidimensional powers of the Scarab meant that Jaime was actually missing for a year. Jaime then returned home and explained the entire situation to his family and friends, telling them of his new alter ego Blue Beetle. Jaime began acting as the titular superhero, eventually teaming up with the likes of the Teen Titans and the Justice League themselves.
Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle Powers In DC Comics
While Jaime himself is a normal human, the Scarab is what gives him the powers of the Blue Beetle. The Scarab provides Jaime with an exoskeleton that is incredibly durable and has a symbiotic relationship with him. While Jaime can mostly control the Blue Beetle powers, the Scarab can override Jaime and act on its own accord if need be. Outside the regular superhuman powers most superheroes exhibit, such as superhuman speed, agility, strength, and flight, the Scarab offers a wider array of other powers and abilities.
The suit grants Jaime increased healing, energy absorption, and protection from potentially dangerous environments. The suit can also create various weapons, such as blades, maces, shields, and plasma cannons. Some other abilities include pyrokinesis, sound manipulation, scanner and drone creation, and mechanokinesis - the power to control technology.
Xolo Maridueña Plays Jaime Reyes In Blue Beetle
Xolo Maridueña plays Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle in the film. Maridueña is mostly known for his portrayal of Miguel Diaz in Cobra Kai, who he has played since 2018. Marideuña is of Mexican, Cuban, and Ecuadorian descent and was born in California, and his portrayal of Jaime Reyes will be the first live-action Latino superhero to be the focus of his own movie.
When asked about his thoughts on the role by Variety at the premiere of Cobra Kai season 5, Maridueña had this to say:
"It is nervous excitement, it’s antsiness. It’s the anticipation of knowing that you’re on the brink of something potentially big, but it still feels really intimate because you’re just with the cast and the crew... I can’t wait for people to see one of the — if not the first — Latino-led superhero movies ever"
As can be gleaned from Maridueña's comments, the actor is cautiously optimistic about his role as Jaime Reyes. It's exciting that Blue Beetle will provide representation for a minority group that has hitherto been underrepresented in live-action. With Maridueña also still at a relatively young age, he can continue playing the character of Reyes in the future should the new DCU call for such stories.
What We Know About Blue Beetle's DC Movie
Not much is known about the Blue Beetle movie thus far. The film will be directed by Angel Manuel Soto, a filmmaker from Puerto Rico. Manuel Soto is best known for directing the HBO Max film Charm City Kings, for which his direction was praised. The film is written by another filmmaker of Latino heritage in the form of Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer. The duo was hired to write and direct the film in 2021, with Blue Beetle initially intended to be released solely on HBO Max. In December 2021, it was announced that Blue Beetle would have a theatrical release shortly after Maridueña was cast in the titular role.
The film will also star Bruna Marquezine as Penny, Jaime's love interest, Belissa Escobedo as Jaime's younger sister, and George Lopez as Jaime's uncle. The villains of the film will be played by Susan Sarandon and Raoul Trujillo who portray Victoria Kord and Carapax the Indestructible Man respectively. The former is an original character for the film, though is expected to be linked to the DC character of Ted Kord, the Blue Beetle before Reyes in the comics, while Carapax is a known Blue Beetle villain. Blue Beetle is currently scheduled for a domestic theatrical release on August 18th, 2023.
Will Blue Beetle Be Part Of James Gunn's DC Universe?
Arguably the biggest question surrounding Blue Beetle, as is the case for both The Flash and Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom, is whether it will play into James Gunn's plans for his soft-rebooted DCU. In January 2023, James Gunn took to social media to announce his and Peter Safran's plans for Chapter 1 of the DCU: Gods and Monsters. This led many to wonder whether the lingering DCEU productions would play into Gunn's plans beyond The Flash, which is acting as a reset of sorts.
Gunn's comments on Blue Beetle have provided hope that Jaime Reyes can possibly continue on into the new DCU. As reported by The Guardian, James Gunn's reveal of the DCU to the press before releasing it to fans on Twitter featured some comments on Blue Beetle. When speaking on the film, Gunn said:
"... we have Shazam, which leads into Flash, which resets everything, which then goes into Blue Beetle, which is totally disconnected. He can totally be a part of the DCU..."
Based on these comments from Gunn, it is safe to assume that Blue Beetle is largely self-contained from the wider DCEU films. Unlike Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which included Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, or The Flash, which is set to be the most impactful film on the broader DCEU since Justice League, Blue Beetle will be a smaller, disconnected origin story. Given this is the case, Jaime Reyes can likely be a character that transfers into the new DCU, with Blue Beetle being only the first of many adventures for the exciting new superhero.
