Blue Beetleis set to become DC’s next new superhero film. With all the shakeups happening at Warner Bros. Discovery, however, it’s unclear what the status of the movie will be. It’s possible that the movie could be connected to the currently existing DCEU, and there are a few indications thatJames Gunn and Peter Safran, who are running DC’s film division, may want to reboot the connected universe.
At the moment, it’s unclear what fate will befallBlue Beetle.Though otherprojects are slowing down,Blue Beetleis still expected to releasein theaters on August 18. That doesn’t guarantee a franchise in the making, however. Though Xolo Maridueña is set to star as Jaime Reyes, it isn’t certain that he’ll get to keep playing the role in any future installments (if there are any).
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A Possible Reboot is On the Way for the DCEU
Since it was announced thatWonder Woman 3was not moving forward, fans have been wondering about the status of the DCEU. Speculation was rampant about why the project wasn’t moving forward. Some thought that this precipitated a full-blown reboot. One report claimed that director Patty Jenkins walked away from discussions with the studio due to creative differences, though Jenkins and Gunn deny this.
Shortly after this, it was announced thatHenry Cavill would no longer be playing Superman. There are reportedly ongoing discussions about bringing him back to the DC Universe in a new role, but nothing is concrete just yet. His fellowJustice Leagueco-star Jason Momoa is also rumored to no longer be playing Aquaman; Momoa is also rumored to be in discussions for a new role at DC.
Meanwhile, Ray Fisher is unlikely to return to DC after alleging mistreatment on the set ofJustice League.Ezra Miller’s recent court casesand allegations surrounding the actor also mean that they probably won’t be back afterThe Flashhits theaters next year. Meanwhile, Ben Affleck is reportedly in discussion with Gunn and Safran about directing a future DC film, and it doesn’t sound like he’ll be back as Batman, either.
That means that the entire Justice League, which was the basis of the DCEU, will need to be recast. Gunn has acknowledged that there are several pathways forward while also stating that a lot of speculation is unfounded. For instance,Gunn denied that there were any plans to addThe Batmanto the wider DC Universe.
Four films will be released next year:Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, The Flash, Blue Beetle,andShazam! Fury of the Gods.The former two will probably be the last films with their respective actors, but nothing is known about the status of the latter films.
The First Latino Superhero Film
Blue Beetleis set to be the first Latino-led superhero film. That title might have gone toBatgirl,had it not been cancelled. It’s a big moment in representation, and if DC cancels both franchises then, to be frank, it could lead to some bad optics for the company. That isn’t to say that that’s the only reason the film should serve as the beginning of a franchise, but it would be egregious for the only two superhero films with Latino leads to get shut down before they even get released.
Blue Beetleis set to really commit to portraying the life of a Mexican American in the United States. According toSusan Sarandon,Blue Beetlewill even have sequences in Spanish with English subtitles. The comics were committed to portraying this faithfully already - it’s a faithful adaptation in that way. The character is inherently tied to Mexican American identity, and it’s an important milestone for Latinos, who make up 18.9% of the United States' population.
Connections to the Wider DC Universe
Any connectionsBlue Beetlemay have with the wider DCEU aren’t publicly known. There’s still plenty of time to cut them out of the film, if they aren’t central to the plot. But if there are references that are central to the narrative ofBlue Beetle,it might be difficult to cut them out without compromising the integrity of the movie. Still, ifBlue Beetleis a standalone, then it can easily fit into a potential new DCU that Gunn and Safran may craft.
This would have an ironic side-effect -Blue Beetlewould technically be the first film in a new DCU. The film, which was greenlitunder Walter Hamada’s tenure at DC Films, would therefore serve an important role in the universe. Given that it’s still 9 months from release, there’s the possibility of reshoots to add in some references about what may be coming soon. There could be glimpses at a wider universe - or this film could deviate slightly from the comics and make Blue Beetle one of the formative superheroes of the universe. Gunn is already writing a newSupermanfilm, and he’s said that he intends to make it about Clark Kent’s younger days; the other characters will probably just be starting out as well.
The Film Holds A Lot of Promise
The creative team behindBlue Beetle- including director Angel Manuel Soto and writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer - appear to be passionate about the film they’re crafting. Maridueña likewise seems to be ready to bring the character to life. Though not much is known about his performance, it does appear that DC was confident in casting him -Maridueña was actually cast as Blue Beetle without having read a single line of script.
For his part,Maridueña said he felt ‘nerves and exhilaration’ when playing Blue Beetle. The synopsis for the film also promises a unique take on the character: while he was in high school in the original comics, here Jaime is reimagined as a recent college graduate trying to figure out his life. It’s a different take on a young superhero. Typically, young superheroes start out as teens. A twenty-something that’s adrift after college would make for a different kind of superhero.
Blue Beetle’s Future May Depend On Its Reception
Ultimately,Blue Beetle’s status may depend on how it’s received. If the film gets glowing reviews and does well at the box office, then it would be hard to cancel a bonafide hit. TakingBlack Adamas an example: it’s unlikely that that film would survive a reboot. Though it got decent reviews, there are rumors thatBlack Adamis projected to lose millions at the box office. While Dwayne Johnson denies this, the film wasn’t a blockbuster hit as hoped for. It also has some big ties to the wider DCEU, having set up Henry Cavill’s return as Superman.
IfBlue Beetlebombs, it would be hard to justify a sequel, let alone making it the first canon film in a new DCU. Gunn and Safran apparently want to change up how DC is being received; right now, it doesn’t exactly have a sterling reputation.Blue Beetle’s crew may be feeling the pressure right now - it may have to knock things out of the part to avoid getting wiped clean after a reboot. If it doesn’t, then DC may be headed in another direction.
Blue Beetleis in theaters on August 18.
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