Blue Beetle director Ángel Manuel Soto has responded to confirmation that Xolo Maridueña will reprise his role as Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle in the rebooted DC Universe.
“You know, Xolo is a star,” Soto told CinemaBlend. “I knew it from the beginning. Everybody jumped into it, and he stepped up to the plate, and he led the film. He has so much heart and, and the fact that all of that charisma, all of that personality, all of that backstory that forms the Reyes (family) … because this film very well could be a prologue, or a first act, to this character.”
The director continued, “The fact that all of those elements that form a character are canon, because he is now part of the universe, it just shows that speaking from the heart matters. And being true to himself matters. And the fact that he has a future — and the way he interacts, and his personality — has a future in the coming universe. It’s a vote of confidence in general. But at the same time, like, ‘Of course, Xolo. You’re a star.'”
Blue Beetle will return in the DCU
Blue Beetle hit theaters this past August as part of the soon-to-be-defunct DC Extended Universe. However, DC Studios co-head James Gunn has confirmed that Maridueña will be one of multiple DCEU stars to return in his and Peter Safran‘s new DCU. Maridueña joins the likes of John Cena and Viola Davis, who will return as Peacemaker and Amanda Waller, respectively, post-reboot.
The 22-year-old Maridueña has been acting professionally since 2012. He cut his teeth as Victor Graham on NBC’s comedy-drama series Parenthood. Maridueña rose to prominence in 2018 thanks to his leading role as Miguel Diaz in YouTube Premium’s Karate Kid sequel series Cobra Kai (which has since moved to Netflix).
In 2021, Maridueña was cast to play main protagonist Jaime Reyes in DC’s Blue Beetle film. The movie was originally planned as an (HBO) Max exclusive, though was eventually upgraded to a theatrical release. Blue Beetle ultimately brought in $129 million at the global box office and was met with largely positive reviews. That said, while Maridueña is confirmed to be sticking around after the DCU reboot, it remains to be seen when he will actually suit up again.
Audiences will get their first taste of Gunn and Safran’s new DCU via the upcoming animated series Creature Commandos, which is due to premiere on Max sometime in 2024. The new universe kicks off proper in 2025 with the release of Gunn’s live-action film Superman: Legacy, starring David Corenswet as the Man of Steel.
Blue Beetle is currently available for Digital purchase. The film releases on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on Tuesday, October 31.
