‘Blue Beetle’ Star Xolo Maridueña Ready To Expand Into The DC Universe

'We're ready for the whole nine'

Xolo Mariduena Jaime Reyes Blue Beetle DC Universe

Blue Beetle is set to bring an out-of-this world adventure to theaters this August. Despite the film not releasing for another few months, Xolo Maridueña is ready to expand his hero to the rest of the DC Universe with crossovers and sequels galore.

Blue Beetle sits at an odd cross section of the DCU’s lifespan. The film was originally meant to be an HBO Max exclusive before Warner Bros. promoted it to a theatrical release. With James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new plans for the DCU, it’s unclear if the cast will slot into the new world even despite Gunn calling it a “marvelous part of the DCU” in his Gods and Monsters roadmap video. Yet it seems as though the film’s star Xolo Maridueña is excited for whatever the future holds for Jaime Reyes:

“If we get one movie or a trilogy and fucking fold this into the Justice League shit, we’re ready for the whole nine,” he told Empire. “For me and Angel [Manuel Soto, director] and the team, we kicked ass with this movie. It just depends on numbers.”

The comics definitely provide a lot of room for Xolo Maridueña to return in future DCU projects. The Blue Beetle franchise can obviously return for new films. However, Jaime Reyes’ predecessor Ted Kord (whose costume was seen in the trailer) is closely tied to the character of Booster Gold, a time traveler set to make his debut in an upcoming series for the DCU. It’s even possible fans will see Blue Beetle join the Justice League, given the characters history with the team. Though with no crossover projects currently announced, fans will likely have to wait until long after the movie to get confirmation of his return.

The Empire interview also showcases a brand new image of Xolo Maridueña as Blue Beetle. Jaime Reyes is seen wielding his iconic double arm cannons, seemingly facing down some sort of big threat.

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.

Anthony Singletary

Anthony Singletary

Anthony has always had a love for stories. An aspiring screenwriter and video editor, he takes pride in connecting fans with the latest heroic news!