The first DC feature film featuring a Latino superhero, Blue Beetle, is now available on Blu-ray, 4K UHD and DVD! Jaime Reyes, aka Blue Beetle, is the first Latino superhero to star in a feature film, and although his film was released during a time of transition in the DC film universe, DC Studios Co-CEO James Gunn did publicly declare that Reyes would be returning in his DCU.
That news offers a very welcome sigh of relief for fans of Blue Beetle as a character, and fans of diverse superheroes in general. Not to mention that Blue Beetle star Xolo Maridueña is clearly a rising talent and deserves to be included in the revamped DC Universe.
Senior Writer Jorgie Rodriguez first sat down with Blue Beetle director Ángel Manuel Soto in advance of the film’s release, and with the Blue Beetle now out on home video, Rodriguez had the opportunity to speak with Soto again in a follow-up interview.
This time, Soto talked about his approach to the film, which is unencumbered by ties to other existing DC properties, and what that means for Blue Beetle in the upcoming reset. Soto shared that the idea was to make a film that was focused on story and could fit into virtually any future plans for a larger universe.
“Right off the bat, we didn’t want it to be something that stems out of something else, or that needs to be attached to something else. They wanted it to be pretty stand alone, but not stand alone in the sense of ‘Here i am closed out of anything,’ it’s like ‘Here we are, this is the origin story of this kid, what happens after can be attached to anything,'” Soto said. “That liberty, that freedom of being able to…there’s no pressure to get tied to anything. The only pressure that we have is to create a compelling story. Character driven, emotion driven, that does right into how we show our cultures, and how we can also appropriate spaces where we have been left out, and have fun doing it.”
Soto also spoke about introducing a new hero into the DC Universe, as well as cultural influences many families can relate to. For those not part of the Latinx community, they can have empathy for these experiences. “The people that know, know. And the ones that don’t, at least for a little moment, can have some empathy and be in our people’s shoes,” Soto said.
Additional bonus features in the Blue Beetle blu-ray include a deep dive on the history of the character, a deeper look at Nana Reyes titled “Nana knows best” and a behind-the-scenes look on the film’s production in Puerto Rico.
Watch Jorgie’s latest conversation with Soto below. Blue Beetle is out on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD now!
Editor’s Note: This interview took place during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of the actors currently on strike, the movie being covered here wouldn’t exist. To support the SAG-AFTRA, donate to the Entertainment Community Fund.
Prepare for the action-packed, modern origin story that takes a fresh, fun look at the Super Hero genre in a can’t-miss spectacle of vibrant visuals, humor and heart when “Blue Beetle” arrives for purchase Digitally at home on September 26. The film is directed by Ángel Manuel Soto (“Charm City Kings”) with Xolo Maridueña (“Cobra Kai”) starring in the DC Super Hero’s first-ever standalone feature film. The film will also be available to purchase on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD on October 31.
Ron is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of POC Culture. He is a big believer in the power and impact of pop culture and the importance of representation in media.
