Summary
- Blue Beetle, starring Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes, will premiere on Max on November 17. Reyes becomes the chosen host of an ancient relic, gaining a powerful suit of armor.
- Originally planned for streaming only, the director, Ángel Manuel Soto, emphasized the importance of experiencing the film on the big screen for full immersion in action and cultural elements. Warner Bros. ultimately decided to release it in theaters.
- Despite being DC’s lowest-grossing film, Blue Beetle will not be the end of Jaime Reyes’ journey. Director Ángel Manuel Soto and James Gunn have discussed the possibilities for Jaime’s future, potentially including the Booster Gold Max show.
Blue Beetle is set to make its debut on Max this month, starting from November 17. The film introduces viewers to the journey of Jaime Reyes, portrayed by Xolo Maridueña, who undergoes an unexpected transformation into the chosen host of the Scarab, an ancient relic infused with alien biotechnology. This metamorphosis bestows upon him a formidable suit of armor with an array of extraordinary and unpredictable powers. The film earned commendable ratings of 78% from critics and an impressive 92% from the audience on Rotten Tomatoes.
Release Date August 18, 2023
Director Angel Manuel Soto
Cast Susan Sarandon, Raoul Max Trujillo, Xolo Mariduena, George Lopez, Harvey Guillen
Genres Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Superhero
Initially, Blue Beetle was slated for an exclusive streaming release on Max. However, it underwent a significant change in its distribution strategy due to the vision and determination of its director. In an interview with Collider, the director Ángel Manuel Soto emphasized the importance of experiencing the film on the big screen. He believed that this approach would allow audiences to fully immerse themselves in the action sequences, intricate suit designs, and the rich cultural backdrop of Blue Beetle’s world. Warner Bros. ultimately reconsidered their initial streaming-only plan, giving in to the director’s conviction.
“It can’t be that the first time that we have a Latino superhero front and center—not just a Latino playing a hero, but where he is a Latino, his family is Latino, and they’re gonna actually be heroes of their own stories for the first time. It cannot just live on streaming. He has to go to the theaters.
[W]e worked very, very hard to do this world-building where the action sequences, the suit, the passion of the family, and the cultural aspects are presented in a way worthy of watching it, not only in the theater but even on IMAX, and being able to see our communities that way. I think that we did an amazing job in bringing it to life on the concept development of it all that at the end Warner Brothers decided that this movie has to go to the theaters.”
RELATED: Blue Beetle: Why Did it Take So Long for a Latino Superhero to Arrive?
Blue Beetle’s Future in James Gunn’s DCU
Warner Bros. Pictures
Blue Beetle, despite being DC’s lowest-grossing film with a global earning of $129 million, will not be the end of Jaime Reyes’ journey in the DCU. Director Ángel Manuel Soto previously disclosed that he and James Gunn have explored the possibilities for Jaime’s future. In their conversations, Gunn mentioned the upcoming Booster Gold Max show, though its exact role in the universe remains unclear.
“Yeah, we have had conversations about it and that’s where he mentioned to me Booster Gold [Max] show that is going to come out. Now, where does it fit, how is it gonna play out? We haven’t talked about that. But we both have talked about our interest in continuing Jaime’s story, and finding a way for that story to be a part of this new universe.”
Maridueña leads the cast, alongside Susan Sarandon stepping into the role of the film’s antagonist, Victoria Kord. The rest of the cast includes George Lopez as Uncle Rudy Reyes, Elpidia Carrillo portraying Rocio Reyes, Raoul Max Trujillo as Carapax the Indestructible Man, Adriana Barraza, Jorge Jimenez, Bruna Marquezine, Belissa Escobedo, and Damián Alcázar. Blue Beetle is set to debut on Max for streaming on November 17th.
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