AKTECHSTUDIO

Every DCU Movie & TV Show Set Up By Blue Beetle

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for DC's Blue Beetle

Blue Beetle potentially helps set up a collection of movies and shows for the new DCU. Confirmed to be the first hero in the new universe envisioned by DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran, Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) inadvertently bonds with an alien scarab named Khaji Da, granting him alien armor and weaponry to become a brand-new superhero in the DC Universe. With his origins complete after this first movie, the new Blue Beetle certainly has a very open future to look forward to.

With two Blue Beetles having preceded him, Jaime Reyes has inherited an exciting new legacy and mantle after bonding with the sentient scarab Khaji Da (voiced by Becky G). While becoming a superhero wasn't something Jaime asked for, Reyes has become one all the same with support from his family. Likewise, it's been confirmed by Gunn that Blue Beetle's future will indeed take place in the new DCU. As such, here are a handful of movies and shows Blue Beetle has potentially set up after his first movie.

5: Blue Beetle 2

At the time of writing, Blue Beetle 2 has yet to be greenlit. After all, a successful performance at the box office from the first Blue Beetle is likely needed to warrant a sequel in the new DCU. Regardless, both director Angel Manuel Soto and Gunn have voiced their support for sequels with Soto in particular voicing his intentions to create a full Blue Beetle trilogy. It certainly helps that reviews from both critics and audiences have been very positive, a great sign compared to recent DC movie releases.

Regarding the potential plot for Blue Beetle 2, the confirmation in Blue Beetle's post-credits scene that the previous Blue Beetle Ted Kord is alive would likely play a large role in the story. Additionally, Jaime would likely continue adjusting to his new status quo as a superhero while learning to get along with Kahji Da. It also stands to reason that Blue Beetle could start interacting with other heroes once the new DCU is up and running.

4: Booster Gold

While he could have a role in a potential Blue Beetle 2, Booster Gold may be involved in Ted Kord's Blue Beetle disappearance. This is something that could be revealed in the Booster Gold show currently in development for HBO Max. In the original DC Comics, Michael Carter's Booster Gold and Kord's Blue Beetle are best friends. Booster Gold is a time traveler from the future who uses advanced tech to be a superhero in the present. As a result, it's possible Ted went missing as he's somehow lost in the time stream with Booster, unable to return to his own time and daughter Jenny (Bruna Marquezine).

Likewise, Booster Gold has also had previous partnerships with Jaime Reyes in the comics. As such, a potential meeting and team-up to find Ted is a logical possibility while also setting up Booster's own DCU show. Either way, it's a good bet that both the Blue Beetle and Booster Gold franchises will eventually cross over.

3: Superman: Legacy

While Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle is confirmed to be the DCU's first hero, Superman: Legacy is still considered to be the first movie of the new DCU. Written and directed by James Gunn himself, Superman: Legacy will usher in a new universe where some properties from the previous DCEU will continue while bigger tent pole heroes like Superman and Batman are being recast with rebooted stories, providing a fresher start that the DC franchise overall has desperately needed. Case in point, Superman: Legacy will be released in 2025 with David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman and Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane.

However, Gunn has also confirmed that Superman: Legacy will not be an origin story for Superman nor the DCU as a whole with Clark Kent living in a world already familiar with superheroes. To that end, a collection of heroes has been cast with roles in Superman: Legacy. Nathan Fillion is playing Green Lantern Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced will play Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi has been cast as Mister Terrific, and Anthony Carrigan will be playing Metamorpho. As such, it's not a stretch to imagine that Blue Beetle could cameo as well (especially after Superman was referenced in Blue Beetle more than once).

2: Teen Titans

Jamie Reyes' Blue Beetle could also have a future with potential team films in the new DCU. Having been a member of the Teen Titans before 2011's New 52 reboot as seen in the original comics, Reyes could fit right in as a younger hero who's recently graduated from college. He certainly has the perfect personality to be a team player who'd likely have great dynamics with any heroes he'd possibly join forces with. While there isn't a Teen Titans movie or show currently in development, it's likely only a matter of time before there will be.

It's worth noting that Blue Beetle was recently part of the Teen Titans' roster in the 2016 animated DC film Justice League vs. Teen Titans, joining other young heroes such as Raven, Beast Boy, and Damian Wayne's Robin who will soon debut in the DCU with the upcoming movie Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Led by original Titans Starfire and Nightwing, seeing Blue Beetle with a live-action version of this Titans roster would be very exciting in the new DCU. It certainly has a lot of potential when and if Jaime has some more solo adventures.

1: Justice League

Following the New 52 reboot in the comics, Blue Beetle did join the Justice League International at the invitation of Booster Gold. He's also had team-ups in the comics with various Justice Leaguers including Batman and Superman. As such, a future spot on the Justice League could very well be in Jamie Reyes' future as he matures and continues to evolve as a superhero in the new DCU.

The upcoming DCU slate coming from James Gunn and Peter Safran is very exciting for several reasons. However, one such reason is that there will be all kinds of new freedoms like potentially shaking up the Justice League's roster going forward. Following this first Blue Beetle movie, the possibilities for Jaime Reyes' future are huge, including the potential ways his first adventure may have set up upcoming DCU projects as well.

August 20, 2023 •

DCU Blue Beetle: News, Updates & Everything We Know

The latest Blue Beetle movie news and updates suggest promising things for the upcoming DC Universe film, even after a studio shakeup. The old DCEU is being reset in The Flash, but this doesn't seem to have impacted the upcoming Blue Beetle film. While Blue Beetle is not the most recognizable hero on DC’s roster, he’s still been featured in a variety of animated shows and comics. The first Blue Beetle was created for DC Comics by Charles Nicholas Wojtkoski, although the character was later owned by Charlton Comics.

This original iteration of the character first appeared in 1939, but the second Blue Beetle, Ted Kord, found his way to the DC Universe after Crisis on Infinite Earths in the 1980s. DC introduced a new Blue Beetle in the New 52 in the twenty-first century as a teenager, Jaime Reyes, who ended up joining the Teen Titans. Warner Bros. began work on a modern Blue Beetle movie in 2018, with casting running from 2021 into 2022. Several updates about the film’s progress have been released along the way, including several production and casting announcements, and an official trailer released on April 3, 2023. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming Blue Beetle movie so far.

The Latest Blue Beetle Movie News

Still the most widely-discussed Blue Beetle movie news, outside its status in the DCU's future, is the casting of Susan Sarandon. It was announced in early 2022 that Sarandon would be playing the villain of the Blue Beetle movie, Victoria Kord, the sister of the first Blue Beetle (Ted Kord). A new trailer released for Blue Beetle on April 3, 2023, details the origin story for Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes, a.k.a. Blue Beetle, and explores his relationship to his family which will be hugely important to the plot of the movie. There has been no word on whether the character will return for James Gunn's new DCU following the release of Blue Beetle.

Blue Beetle Movie Release Date

The Blue Beetle movie release date is set for August 18, 2023. This was one of the few movies that DC Studios kept on the slate after James Gunn and Peter Safran took over in late 2022. Blue Beetle is set to premiere following the already-released Shazam: Fury of the Gods, and The Flash on June 16, but Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom will close DC's year with its December 20 release date. However, while Gunn and Safran's plans for DCU's Chapter One: Gods and Monsters have been met well, there are still no guarantees regarding the futures of the last remaining DCEU properties.

Blue Beetle Movie Cast

Among the Blue Beetle movie cast are several of Jaime’s family members and a potential love interest for the hero. Notably, Xolo Maridueña, known for his roles in Cobra Kai (2018-2022) and Parenthood (2012-2015), will play the main hero, Jaime Reyes. Additionally, Belissa Escobedo will portray Jaime’s sister, Milagros Reyes, and Bruna Marquezine will play Jaime’s love interest, Penny. George Lopez will add a familiar name to the cast, playing Jaime's uncle, Rudy. The two signal an important moment in comic book movie history as the first DC live-action movie honoring Latino culture.

They will be joined by Elpidia Carrillo, Damián Alcázar, and Adriana Barraza as Jaime's mother, father, and grandmother, respectively. As far as villains, Raoul Max Trujillo will play Carapax the Indestructible Man. Susan Sarandon plays the villainous character Victoria Kord, replacing the previously cast Sharon Stone. Victoria is a new character created for the film but was just introduced in the comics as Ted Kord's sister. Javier "Harvey" Guillén of What We Do In the Shadows' fame will also appear in Blue Beetle as a character named Dr. Sanchez.

Blue Beetle Movie Story Details

Blue Beetle will introduce the third generation of the character. The first hero was Dan Garrett, who received his powers from an Egyptian scarab. The second chronicled Ted Kord, who existed in the Arrowverse and used science and technology to carry on the hero’s mantle. The third and final Blue Beetle is Jaime Reyes, a teenager from El Paso who discovers the original blue Scarab and receives alien armor when the artifact grafts to his spine. A new trailer for Blue Beetle does uncover more details about the upcoming DC project.

Blue Beetle is set to explore Jaime’s heroic origin story and his conflicts with antagonist Victoria Kord and Blue Beetle villain, Carapax the Indestructible Man. The film's recent trailer confirms that Jaime is not a teenager, but a college graduate, and he returns home to find things have changed for the worse. He is tasked with protecting a box containing the Blue Beetle scarab, as someone nefarious seemingly wants to get their hands on it, but disobeys the advice not to open the box. Jaime becomes bonded with the Blue Beetle armor before the eyes of his family, and his adventure as DC's newest live-action hero begins.

Blue Beetle's Place In The New DCU

While James Gunn didn't have a hand in Blue Beetle's production, he has expressed excited about the upcoming film. He announced that Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom would all still release in 2023, but offered no confirmation that any of these heroes would be featured in future DCU movies. It's possible that Blue Beetle could live in the new DCU's Elseworlds side-franchise, along with Matt Reeves' Batman films and Todd Phillips' Joker franchise. This would unfortunately keep Blue Beetle from interacting with Gunn's new DC heroes, but would still keep the exciting new hero in the franchise.

April 29, 2023 •