Blue Beetle is set to introduce audiences around the world to Carapax the Indestructible Man. Actor Raoul MaxTrujillo, who portrays Conrad Carapax, reveals that the film will serve as an “evolution” of the character from the comics to tell an exciting new story.
While Carapax the Indestructible Man has a long history in the pages of DC Comics, first facing off against Ted Kord in the first issue of his 1986 solo run, it’s not a history with much depth. Conrad Carapax only appeared in a dozen issues of Blue Beetle, with a handful of appearances outside of the series to fight heroes like Batman and Superman. When asked if he explored this small pool of comics before portraying the character, Raoul Max Trujillo revealed that he did research his history before realizing director Angel Manuel Soto had much different plans for the character.
“I started researching his past and the different incarnations of him, as Blue Beetle himself took on several identities, with Jaime being the last. The script was a big deviation when it came to Carapax. So, I really surrendered to the idea that Angel [Manuel Soto] was going to tell a different story. With Carapax, he was really going deep into the military-industrial complex, and the whole idea of imperialism. He’s Puerto Rican, so he wanted to delve into the U.S. and military complex’s imperialism and their history in Latin America, exploiting not only people but also land resources. By then, it was clear we were telling a slightly different backstory, but I’d still be this arch-enemy. When you see the movie, you’ll see an incredible evolution with Carapax that has never been read about. It’s exciting. It’s almost like he’s creating another incarnation of the character.”
Raoul Max Trujillo expanded on the idea of evolving Carapax to add depth to the character. While the film will start out with Carapax serving as an unstoppable force of nature, the depth added to his character in Blue Beetle will be revealed through flashbacks towards the end of the film.
“I think the one thing that you’re gonna see in the evolution of his character is that from the very beginning, he’s this evil badass who seems to have no scruples about doing what he’s told and carrying out orders. But as the film unfolds, you start to be aware that there is a backstory through flashbacks and then, without disclosing anything further, you get to really see what made him become the killer that he is. That becomes an interesting part of his character development. You kind of start to actually feel for him about 3 quarters of the film.”
Given Carapax last appeared over a decade ago in a tie-in comic to the Batman: The Brave and The Bold tv show, a reinvention for Blue Beetle was likely needed to give the character a depth deserving of an actor like Raoul Max Trujillo. Despite this, it seems as though Angel Manuel Soto will be maintaining the imposing nature of a villain literally described as an “Indestructible Man” while still breathing new life into a character so important to the history of Blue Beetle.
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 Max 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.
