Blue Beetle has quickly earned the status of a fan-favorite film to come out of DC Studios. New concept art for the film has been released showcasing early designs for Jaime Reyes’ Scarab armor, the OMAC device worn by Conrad Carapax, and an alternate fight scene during the second act.
Blue Beetle is a film where fans can feel the love across every inch of the project. Everything from Jaime Reyes’ suit to the framing of fight scenes was carefully crafted by the cast and crew. However, new concept art shows that fans were close to getting a very different-looking movie from DC Studios. Even the Scarab itself, which one would assume would be nailed down fairly early, went through a number of different iterations as seen below:
That set of concept art also includes a new look at the fight scene between Jaime Reyes and Conrad Carapax at the start of the film’s second act. However, it seems as though the fight was meant to take place in a much more industrial construction site rather than across from the Kord Industries building like in the film. Other concepts for the fight seem to include a junkyard and a bridge leading to Palmera City, as seen below:
Jaime Reyes wasn’t the only one rocking a new suit in the original concept art. Conrad Carapax’s OMAC armor went through a number of variations, including one that mirrored the Blue Beetle Scarab. While the design the film ended up with was certainly a treat, the concept art is certainly a sight to behold:
While Blue Beetle was far from a perfect movie, it certainly showed the potential of DC Studios projects when artists are allowed to bring their vision to fruition. It’s unlikely we’ll be seeing more of Conrad Carapax or the OMAC system in the future to see these alternate designs come to life, so it’s certainly a fun look behind the curtain to see what could have been.
Who is DC’s Blue Beetle?
Blue Beetle is one of DC’s lesser-known heroes, but he has a dedicated fanbase nonetheless. Created in 1939 by Charles Wojtkowski, Blue Beetle has gone through several iterations over the years. The Jaime Reyes version of the character was introduced during the events of 2006’s Infinite Crisis and quickly became a fan-favorite.
In the pages of DC Comics, Jaime Reyes is a teenager from El Paso, Texas. Jaime discovers a scarab beetle-shaped device that bonds with his body, giving him access to an advanced suit of armor and various powers. He becomes the latest in a long line of Blue Beetles and must learn to balance his newfound abilities with his everyday life.
The full cast of Blue Beetle also includes Bruna Marquezine, Belissa Escobedo, George Lopez, Adriana Barraza, Elpidia Carrillo, Damián Alcázar, Raoul Trujillo, Susan Sarandon and Harvey Guillén.
