(Updated 08/10/2023)
A major element that holds the Marvel universes together — whether in comics or in movies — is Spider-Man. DC has never quite had a Spider-Man-type character on the big screen, but that changes this year with BLUE BEETLE.
Blue Beetle, a long-running DC Comics hero who has existed in a few different incarnations on the page, is coming to movie theatres. Originally planned as a streaming-only movie, BLUE BEETLE has become a theatrical exclusive. We love that! Here's the lowdown on the character, and everything we know to expect from the movie.
When Can You See Blue Beetle?
BLUE BEETLE will open exclusively in movie theatres on August 18.
Watch the New Blue Beetle Trailer
This movie sets up the reluctant beginnings of the Blue Beetle character in an origin story that echoes the Spider-Man origin in more than a few ways. We're introduced to the entire Reyes family and we also get to see the movie's very cool super-suit in action. And when Reyes is high above Earth looking down, we get the sense that this movie might just have some stunning imagery in store.
The new trailer above also gives us a sense of who the hero will be fighting — and it looks like he's got a real battle on his hands.
A Quick History of Blue Beetle in Comic Books
We'll do this fast.
Charles Nicholas Wojtkoski created Blue Beetle for a comic book company that would become known as Charlton Comics. The first iteration of the character was a far cry from the Blue Beetle we know today. Dan Garret got Blue Beetle powers any time he ate a special vitamin. (Always eat your vitamins, kids!) Later this was retconned so his powers actually came from a super scarab. So… always eat your scarabs too?
Charlton was sold to DC Comics in 1983. At the time of this sale, the Blue Beetle most people knew about was Ted Kord, who would occupy the role for many years. While Garret gave Kord his beetle scarab before his death, Kord never actually used it for power. In fact, Ted Kord had no superpowers at all. He was just super smart, and consequently able to invent gadgets to help him fight crime.
Ted Kord was and still is a very popular character, particularly when teamed up with his Justice League pal, Booster Gold. The two were known for humor as much as action in a variety of Justice League comics beginning in the late 1980s.
But like many DC heroes, popularity did not save him from death. In a controversial story, Ted Kord was shot to death by Max Lord, kicking off DC’s big "Infinite Crisis" crossover event. But like many DC heroes, popularity saved him from death. Thanks to time travel shenanigans, Ted Kord was brought back to life and continues doing his thing to this day.
Jaime Reyes, The Big-Screen Blue Beetle
The DC Universe cannot continue without a Blue Beetle, and when Ted Kord bit the bullet, a new Blue Beetle arose. This one was (and is) different.
Jaime Reyes was just a teenager living in El Paso, Texas when a blue scarab fused with his body, turning him into a new, somewhat alien Blue Beetle. Jamie did not actually want this. The Reyes version of the character is completely different than his predecessors. Energized with wild powers and covered in a suit that masks his skin completely, Reyes has far more power than other versions of the character.
That's the very basic rundown of Jamie's story in the comics. As seen in the trailer, this is clearly also how the movie is approaching the character.
The Cast of Blue Beetle
To play Jamie Reyes and wear his wild, alien suit of armor, producers turned to Xolo Maridueña ("Parenthood," "Cobra Kai"). The cast also features Bruna Marquezine as Penny, Belissa Escobedo, George Lopez, Adriana Barraza, Elpidia Carrillo, and Damián Alcázar. Harvey Guillén ("What We Do In The Shadows") has a role, too.
Susan Sarandon appears as a character named Victoria Kord, who seems to be at least a villain-leaning character. And that name makes us wonder if the Ted Kord version of the Blue Beetle character will also turn up in the movie. Raoul Trujillo plays the more active villain, Carapax the Indestructible Man.
The Filmmakers Behind Blue Beetle
To bring BLUE BEETLE to life, director Angel Manuel Soto (CHARM CITY KINGS) worked from a screenplay by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer (MISS BALA). And Pawel Pogorzelski, the Polish cinematographer who did such grand work on MIDSOMMAR, and who helped capture intense fight scenes in NOBODY, was behind the camera — all of which makes for an impressive primary crew.
Read more about DC's upcoming movies!
BLUE BEETLE opens on August 18.
All images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.