The final trailer for Warner Bros. Pictures, Blue Beetle, is here and it’s full of fun, action and family. One of the things that has set Blue Beetle apart from the first teaser is that there’s a clear emphasis on not only the journey of superhero to be, Jamie Reyes (Xolo Maridueña), but also the fact that his close knit family are all along for the ride. Reyes isn’t learning to become a hero on his own, and the impact of the Scarab suddenly choosing him to be its host has a massive impact on Reyes’ loved ones.
The substantial family unit around Reyes includes Adriana Barraza as Jaime’s grandmother, Nana, Damían Alcázar and Elpidia Carrillo as his parents, Belissa Escobedo as his sister, and the legendary George Lopez as Jaime’s uncle, Rudy. Barraza’s Nana has an absolutely awesome moment in the trailer that is sure to elicit cheers in the theater. There’s so much fun potential to tell a superhero story from the perspective of an extended Latinx family, and I’m glad that Blue Beetle is leaning into those elements. It’s hard to tell fresh and unique superhero stories nowadays, but it looks like director Angel Manuel Soto has really honed in on the right kind of story to do so.
The trailer is the best look at the film’s overall story, which includes villains Carapax (Raoul Max Trujillo) in a full armor suit of his own, and Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon), doing what villains do and claiming something that isn’t theirs.
I truly believe that Maridueña is a star. While this is his first film credit, he already has an adoring fanbase thanks to his exceptional performance on Cobra Kai, and Warner Bros. and DC are smart to snag him for this role. He gives off such a relatable and joyful impression that his Jamie Reyes could very well be the kind of glue guy for the DCU that Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
While it’s not yet clear how Blue Beetle fits into the soon to be rebooted DC Universe, I hope that DC Studios Co-Presidents James Gunn and Peter Safran make clear soon that this film will be a part of their new world.
Blue Beetle premieres August 18th in theaters!
ABOUT BLUE BEETLE:
From Warner Bros. Pictures comes the feature film “Blue Beetle,” marking the DC Super Hero’s first time on the big screen. The film, directed by Angel Manuel Soto, stars Xolo Maridueña in the title role as well as his alter ego, Jaime Reyes.
Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero BLUE BEETLE.
Starring alongside Maridueña (“Cobra Kai”) are Adriana Barraza (“Rambo: Last Blood,” “Thor”) as Jaime’s grandmother, Nana, Damían Alcázar (“Narcos,” “Narcos: Mexico”) as his father, Elpidia Carrillo (“Mayans M.C.,” the “Predator” films) as his mother, Bruna Marquezine (“Maldivas,” “God Save the King”) as Jenny Kord, Raoul Max Trujillo (the “Sicario” films, “Mayans M.C.”) as Carapax, with Oscar winner Susan Sarandon (“Monarch,” “Dead Man Walking”) as Victoria Kord, and George Lopez (the “Rio and “Smurf” franchises) as Jaime’s Uncle Rudy. The film also stars Belissa Escobedo (“American Horror Stories,” “Hocus Pocus 2”) as Jaime’s sister, Milagro, and Harvey Guillén (“What We Do in the Shadows”) as Dr. Sanchez.
Soto (“Charm City Kings,” “The Farm”) directs from a screenplay by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer (“Miss Bala”), based on characters from DC. John Rickard and Zev Foreman are producing, with Walter Hamada, Galen Vaisman and Garrett Grant serving as executive producers.
The director’s creative team behind the scenes includes director of photography Pawel Pogorzelski (“Midsommar,” “Hereditary”), production designer John Billington (“Bad Boys for Life”), editor Craig Alpert (“Deadpool 2,” “The Lost City”), Oscar-nominated costume designer Mayes C. Rubeo (“Jojo Rabbit,” the “Thor” films), visual effects supervisor Kelvin McIlwain (“The Suicide Squad,” “Aquaman”) and composer Bobby Krlic (“Midsommar,” the “Snowpiercer” series).
A Warner Bros. Pictures Presentation, a Safran Company Production, “Blue Beetle” soars into theaters only internationally beginning August 2023 and in North America August 18, 2023. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.
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.
