Angel Manuel Soto is set to usher in the DC Universe when he introduces the world to Blue Beetle later this month. In a recent interview, the director talked about the pitch for a Bane movie that was rejected by DC Studios and his plan for a trilogy.
Xolo Maridueña has already confirmed that he’s spoken to DC Studios co-chair James Gunn about returning as Jaime Reyes in the new DC Universe. However, it also seems as Blue Beetle director Angel Manuel Soto has plans for a few more films focusing on the Reyes family:
“Of course, we can’t put everything in one movie, and that’s why this is the first act of a bigger saga,” Soto told Playlist.net. “There’s so much more to be said that I’m really looking forward to saying. We wanted to tell the movie in a way that felt like, what if Latin cinema embraced a superhero film? We spend time with Jamie, with his family; we know what’s at stake and how they behave. The Scarab is an intruder, so when it attaches to him and all hell breaks loose, the stakes are more personal, and you care more.”
“‘Blue Beetle’ [the first film] is Jamie’s story. We wanted to focus on him and his family,” He continued. “By the end of the movie, there will be questions about the scarab, and I hope to answer them. For the next film, I hope to tell the whole story of what happened to the scarab, where he comes from, why he was sent, and hopefully in the end, who they have to defeat.”
While the first Blue Beetle is squarely focused on Xolo Maridueña’s Jaime Reyes, the small focus likely also a product of the film originally being a Max original, it seems as though Angel Manuel Soto also has big plans for the Scarab itself: Khaji Da. Along with his tease that former Blue Beetles Dan Garrett and Ted Kord will impact Jaime’s story, it seems as though fans of the series will have a lot more to dig into after this film.
However, plans for a Blue Beetle trilogy isn’t the only thing highlighted in the interview. Angel Manuel Soto also revealed details about his rejected Bane movie pitch to DC Studios, as well as how the character influenced Carapax the Indestructible Man, played by Raoul Max Trujillo:
“As far as Bane goes, it feels like he’s very misunderstood,” Soto explained. “[Latin American people] are used to being introduced to the world in movies as villains. It’s almost a given that we’re born that way. When we talk about the history of Latin America, nobody dares to question what happened before.”
“Much like Carapax, Bane’s a product of his environment,” He continued. “He is, in his own right, a hero. That’s how I pitched it. DC appreciated it, but they called me in because they wanted ‘Blue Beetle.’ While I was working on Carapax, I thought, I don’t know if I’ll ever make a Bane movie. Let me take what I loved about Bane, about the backstory that I wanted to explore, and give it to Carapax. It’s the history of the Caribbean, the Antilles, a history that’s been brushed off. I think that what Bane represents is the history of interventionism in Latin America and the Caribbean.”
Heroic Hollywood staff was able to speak to Raoul Max Trujillo about how Angel Manuel Soto reinvented Carapax the Indestructible Man in Blue Beetle before the SAG-AFTRA strike, supporting the idea that Soto wanted to explore the impacts of interventionism and colonialism in the region. While it’s uncelar if Soto will ever be able to use Bane in the new DC Universe, it seems more clear than ever that the future of Jaime Reyes and the Scarab is in great hands.
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. Stay tuned for the latest news surrounding the film.
