The future of Blue Beetle in the DCU is entirely dependent on DC Comics fans, according to actor Xolo Maridueña.
Why Fans Will Make or Break Blue Beetle
In a Fandango interview recorded before the start of the SAG-AFTRA strike, Maridueña discussed his playing Jaime Reyes in Blue Beetle. Maridueña was enthusiastic about the experience, and hopeful he would get to play the young hero again. However, he was also realistic in stating audiences must prove a demand for more Blue Beetle movies.
“I have had the pleasure of getting to speak with Mr. James Gunn and the whole DC fam, Maridueña noted. “And, you know, at the end of the day, I think, first, we have to cross this first hill, right? And introduce Jaime to the world. But I think it’s up to the audience to watch the movie. It’s up to everyone to show up for the movie and it’s so wonderful that we get to make movies like this.”
Maridueña went on to reveal that the Blue Beetle movie establishes the character’s legacy from the comics. The name has passed through multiple heroes over the years, each with their own unique gimmick. Comparisons can be drawn to the many different spider-themed heroes in the Spider-Verse.
Future DC Studios films could introduce other incarnations, such as Ted Kord or Dan Garrett. However, for that to happen, the fans have to “show up,” according to Maridueña.
The future of the Blue Beetle franchise is unclear. While Jaime Reyes has a strong following among comic readers, he is largely unknown to general audiences. With Warner Bros. Discovery suffering a long string of critical failures in 2023, the DC brand has never been weaker.
