One of the returning DCEU stars who is set to lead their own DC Universe project opens up about reprising their beloved hero. While it may have been released before the launch of the DCU, the Blue Beetle movie is getting incorporated into James Gunn's new franchise, as Xolo Maridueña is getting his own Blue Beetle animated TV show for Jaime Reyes.
Blue Beetle is one of many animated shows that DC Studios is developing, along with Mister Miracle. Miguel Puga is attached as the showrunner, though the animation style has yet to be revealed. While details have been very limited about the animated Blue Beetle continuation, the series is definitely moving forward.
ScreenRant's own Joe Deckelmeier recently caught up with Maridueña for the new Smurfs movie, and got a few updates on the upcoming Blue Beetle series. After his run on Cobra Kai and bringing Blue Beetle to life, Maridueña shared the following about getting to continue the DC hero's journey:
It means the world. I have gotten to, for the past two years since this movie has come out, witness the positive effects of having a character like this live in this grand universe. And I'm even happier that he was the first, and now he's welcomed by so many awesome familiar faces and beautiful, diverse faces. I just hope to continue to push those boundaries and to continue to take risks in those ways.
ScreenRant also checked in with Maridueña about the Blue Beetle TV show, since the actor has gotten to work with the animated medium through Smurfs. Maridueña opened up about getting to use his voice acting skills, while also addressing what DCU characters he is excited to see show up:
The universe is cracked open. Pandora's Box is open, for lack of a better word!
I love the animation medium. I love getting to continue to explore and try my best to fit this character. Having already done Blue Beetle, I know the character and know the voice now. I'm excited to see him in the actual format of animation, and to see what stories we can tell that we can't tell in live-action.
Some of my [favorite stories are] Avatar: the Last Airbender, Young Justice, and the Studio Ghibli stuff. I think there's so much that the creatives are pulling from, and I'm excited to see how Blue Beetle fits in.
What Xolo Maridueña's Comments Mean For His DC Universe Return
With animation set to be a key storytelling medium for the DCU franchise, Blue Beetle can explore more corners of Gunn's new superhero universe that perhaps won't have as much time in other releases. From related characters like Booster Gold getting his own DCU TV show, Blue Beetle has the chance to tap into that dynamic.
When ScreenRant spoke with Maridueña in February, while getting a new Blue Beetle TV show update, the Cobra Kai veteran stressed, "after Superman, I'm hoping that the floodgates open for the possibility of how big [that world could be]." Now that Superman has opened in theaters, the crossover possibilities are definitely bigger than ever, especially for the Blue Beetle show.
Our Take On Xolo Maridueña's DCU Comments
Hearing Maridueña's excitement and his own passion for animated storytelling, it will be fascinating to see what comes out of the Blue Beetle TV show. While the Blue Beetle movie was one of the few well-received DC movies in the last few years before Superman, the timing wasn't quite right, thus its poor box office result.
Nevertheless, the fact that Gunn is letting Blue Beetle continue in the DCU is a massive deal, especially as there are a lot of animation styles that they can explore for the beloved hero. But until more details on the show emerge, fans can relive Blue Beetle through home media release or on streaming through HBO Max.
Smurfs opens in theaters on Friday, July 18.
Blue Beetle
- Release Date
- August 18, 2023
- Runtime
- 128 minutes
- Director
- Ángel Manuel Soto
- Writers
- Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer
- Producers
- John Rickard, Zev Foreman
Cast
-
Xolo MariduenaJaime Reyes / Blue Beetle -
Bruna MarquezineJenny Kord
WHERE TO WATCH
Blue Beetle is a superhero-action film that follows college graduate Jaime Reyes as he inherits the powers of a mysterious alien relic known as the Scarab, bestowing him with a powerful exosuit that gives him unearthly capabilities. Now an inheritor of a power he isn't sure he deserves, Jaime will become a hero to protect the ones he loves.
- Main Genre
- Action
