Blue Beetle director Angel Manuel Soto has revealed that he initially had a different vision for his first foray into the world of DC comic book adaptations. When approached by Warner Bros. and DC, Soto had hoped to explore a more sinister character, Bane, rather than Jaime Reyes, the young hero who suits up as Blue Beetle in the upcoming movie.
Angel Manuel Soto’s creative juices had been stirring with ideas surrounding the untold origin of Bane, who served as a villain in 1997’s Batman & Robin and 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises. “I wanted to pitch ideas, and one of them was the Bane origin story,” Soto disclosed during a recent interview with Den of Geek. “I always thought that there was something interesting in exploring his reality and how a character like that comes to be.”
However, Warner Bros. and DC’s vision did not align with the Blue Beetle director’s initial idea. “The conversation was not about that,” Soto admitted. WB had been incubating the concept of a Blue Beetle project for years. Recognizing Soto’s directorial flair, the studio entrusted him with the task of crafting a live-action feature revolving around the young Latino superhero instead.
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.
Angel Manuel Soto is directing Blue Beetle from a screenplay by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer. The full cast of the movie also includes Bruna Marquezine, Belissa Escobedo, George Lopez, Adriana Barraza, Elpidia Carrillo, Damián Alcázar, Raoul Trujillo, Susan Sarandon and Harvey Guillén.
Blue Beetle is currently scheduled to hit theaters on August 18, 2023. Stay tuned for the latest news surrounding the film.
