Blue Beetle (film)

: "The universe sent you a gift, and you need to figure out what you're gonna do with it."
: ―Rudy Reyes to Jaime Reyes
Blue Beetle is a 2023 superhero film based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name. It is the installment in the DC Universe and not part of the slate. The film was released on August 18, 2023.
The film is directed by Angel Manuel Soto, and stars Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle, Adriana Barraza as Conchi Reyes, Damián Alcázar as Alberto Reyes, Elpidia Carrillo as Bianca Reyes, with Raoul Trujillo as Conrad Carapax/Indestructible Man, and Susan Sarandon as Victoria Kord.
== Synopsis ==
After Jaime Reyes graduates from college and returns to his hometown Palmera City, he is chosen to become a symbiotic host to the Scarab, an ancient alien biotechnological relic that grants him a powerful exoskeleton armor, turning him into the superhero Blue Beetle.
== Plot ==
In the remote tundra of Antarctica, members of Kord Industries, led by the company's co-founder and CEO Victoria Kord, locate an ancient alien artifact known as the Scarab.
Meanwhile, Jaime Reyes returns to his hometown of Palmera City after graduating from Gotham Law University, only to learn that his family is facing eviction from their home due to financial difficulties. Jaime's sister Milagro manages to get him a job at Victoria's mansion. However, both are fired after Jaime stops a confrontation between Victoria and her niece Jenny. Jenny later tells Jaime to meet her at Kord Tower the next day to discuss a "job opportunity."
The next day, Jenny finds that Victoria is using the Scarab for her One Man Army Corps (OMAC) projects. She steals the Scarab and avoids security by giving it to Jaime, hidden inside a Big Belly Burger to-go box. At home, Jaime's family convinces him to open the Scarab box. When Jaime touches it, the Scarab activates and fuses with him, encasing him in an armored exoskeleton.
Jaime later finds Jenny for answers, rescuing her from Victoria's armed forces. She tells Jaime that the Scarab is a sentient weapon and that it has willingly chosen Jaime to be its host. With the help of Jaime's uncle Rudy, Jaime and Jenny break into Kord Tower to retrieve a smartwatch that once belonged to Jenny's father Ted, but are attacked by Victoria's bodyguard Ignacio Carapax, who has an OMAC prototype infused in his body. The Scarab, revealed to be named Khaji-Da, temporarily takes over Jaime's body and battles Carapax. Rudy and Jenny help incapacitate Carapax, then escape to Jenny's childhood home with Jaime.
Jenny uses Ted's watch to activate his secret laboratory and reveals to Jaime that Ted was originally a vigilante named Blue Beetle who spent his life studying Khaji-Da before mysteriously disappearing, leaving his company in Victoria's hands. When they notice Victoria's helicopter flying toward Jaime's home, Jaime summons Khaji-Da and returns to protect his family. As they escape, Jaime's father, Alberto, suffers a cardiac arrest and dies, distracting Jaime and allowing Carapax to capture him. Jaime is taken to an island fortress in Cuba, where he is strapped to a machine that downloads information from Khaji-Da to the OMACs. While unconscious, Jaime sees a vision from his father, who encourages him to embrace his destiny as the new Blue Beetle. Jaime awakens and escapes as Carapax's OMAC suit activates and evolves into a more powerful form.
Jenny and the Reyes family use Ted's Bugship and its weapons arsenal to storm the island. Jaime reunites with his family, then encounters Carapax and battles him. Jaime nearly kills Carapax in a rage after the latter attempted to kill Rudy, before Khaji-Da reveals to Jaime memories of Carapax's enslavement by Victoria for the OMAC experiments, including Carapax's mother's death at Victoria's hands. This leads Jaime to spare him, while Carapax rebels against Victoria and sets his OMAC suit to explode, destroying the island, himself, and Victoria with him as vengeance for his mother. As the Reyes family escapes from the island, they take time to mourn Alberto.
In the aftermath, Jenny becomes the new CEO of Kord Industries and promises to repair the damage caused to the Reyes family, helping them rebuild their home. As the neighbors gather around the remains of the Reyes family's home and provide support, Jaime kisses Jenny and then offers to fly her to the Kord Estate.
In a mid-credits scene, a distorted recording is broadcast in Ted's laboratory, attempting to inform Jenny that he is alive.
== Cast ==
* Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle III
* Adriana Barraza as Conchi Reyes
* Damián Alcázar as Alberto Reyes
* Elpidia Carrillo as Bianca Reyes
* Raoul Trujillo as Lieutenant Conrad Carapax/Indestructible Man
** Ayden Rivera as young Conrad Carapax
** Xol Gonzalez as teen Conrad Carapax
* Susan Sarandon as Victoria Kord
* Belissa Escobedo as Milagro Reyes
== Appearances ==
=== Locations ===
* Earth
** North America
*** Cuba
**** Pago Island
*** Guatemala (flashbacks)
*** United States of America
**** Central City (poster)
**** Gotham City (poster)
***** Gotham Law (mentioned)
**** Metropolis (poster)
**** Palmera City
***** Edge Keys
****** Mercadito Soto
****** Reyes Household
***** Kord Estate
****** Beetle Cave
***** Kord Plaza
***** Victoria Kord's mansion
=== Events ===
* Guatemalan Civil War (flashbacks)
* Theft of Khaji-Da
* Skirmish at Kord Plaza
* Attack on the Reyes Household
* Battle at Pago Island
=== Items ===
* Blue Beetle armor
* Blue Beetle suits
* Bug Shield
* El Chapulín
* Indestructible Man armor
* Promethium ore
* Tedwatch
=== Vehicles ===
* Bug Ship
* Victoria Kord's Helicopter
* The Taco
=== Sentient species ===
* Humans
* Reach
=== Creatures ===
* Cats (mentioned)
=== Organizations ===
* Ace Chemicals
* Big Belly Burger
* Daily Planet (newspaper)
* Galaxy Broadcasting System
* Green Lantern Corps (flashbacks)
* Kord Industries
* LexCorp
* Reyes Motors
* Soder Cola
=== Mentioned ===
* Thomas Kord
* Dan Garrett/Blue Beetle
* Batman
* Superman
* Firefist
* Flash
== Trivia ==
* One of the featured newspapers articles mentioning Victoria Kord in the film was written by Belinda Izquierdo. In DC Comics, Belinda is a writer for the Daily Planet.
== Production ==
=== Development ===
In December 2018, The Wrap reported that DC and Warner Bros. were developing a Blue Beetle film, which would be the first feature film based on a Latino superhero. Mexican-born screenwriter Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer was tapped to write the screenplay, with Zev Foreman as executive producer.
In February 2021, The Wrap reported that Charm City Kings director Angel Manuel Soto was set to direct the film, which Soto later confirmed himself. Not long after, a fan asked Soto on Twitter if Blue Beetle would be part of the DC Universe, which Soto outright confirmed before later deleting the tweet.
On June 8, 2021, Los Angeles Times reported that the film is set to be an Max exclusive instead of a theatrical release, along with Batgirl.
On December 16, 2021, it was reported that the film will get a theatrical release instead, and will be released on August 18, 2023.
=== Casting ===
On August 2, 2021, The Wrap reported that Xolo Maridueña was in talks to portray the title character in the film. Later that day, Maridueña confirmed the casting on his Instagram profile.
On March 8, 2022, The Wrap reported that Harvey Guillén, Bruna Marquezine and Belissa Escobedo were cast in the film.
On March 18, 2022, The Wrap reported that George Lopez, Adriana Barraza, Elpidia Carrillo and Damián Alcázar were cast in the film.
On March 29, 2022, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Raoul Trujillo had joined the cast of the film, playing Carapax the Indestructible Man. In the same report, it was noted that Sharon Stone was in early talks to play Victoria Kord.
On June 25, 2022, Susan Sarandon confirmed that she'd wrapped in her role of Victoria Kord, having replaced Stone.
=== Filming ===
Blue Beetle is aiming to start production in early 2022.
On May 25, 2022, it was reported that filming had officially begun.
On July 18, 2022, Angel Manuel Soto announced that filming had officially wrapped in Puerto Rico.
== Music ==
Song title 	Artist 	Location(s)
Just Wanna Rock 	Lil Uzi Vert 	
* Official Trailer #1
Uptown Vibes 	Meek Mill 	
* Final Trailer
Atrévete-te-te 	Calle 13 	
* Jaime Reyes arrives to Palmera City
La Chona 	Los Tucanes de Tijuana 	
* Rudy Reyes's truck radio
Cumbia Poder 	Celso Piña 	
* Orchestra with trumpets during the Reyes family restaurant lunch
Sin Tí 	Los Panchos 	
* Jaime and Milagro Reyes talk on the roof
Sera Que No Me Amas 	Luis Miguel 	
* Jaime Reyes looks at the ocean from the Kord mansion
Deportivo 	Álvaro Díaz, Cazzu and Caleb Calloway	
* Jaime Reyes checks Jenny Kord's Instagram profile
Gracias a la Vida 	Violeta Parra 	
* Alberto Reyes' radio
Nos Vamos 	RaiNao 	
* Jaime Reyes arrives at Kord Industries for the job interview
El Rey 	José Alfredo Jiménez 	
* The Reyes family talks about the hamburger box
Demolición 	Los Saicos 	
* Khaji-Da makes Jaime Reyes fly through Palmera City
Cumbia Sampuesana 	Aniceto Molina 	
* Jaime Reyes goes to look for Jenny Kord
Tu Seras Mi Baby 	Les Surfs 	
* Band playing during the Kord Industries gala
Armando Sanchez 	Rosalino Sanchez 	
* Rudy Reyes listens to the radio while waiting for the return of Jaime Reyes and Jenny Kord
Bidi Bidi Bom Bom 	Selena 	
* Rudy Reyes listens to the radio during the Skirmish at Kord Plaza
Kickstart My Heart 	Mötley Crüe 	
* The Bug Ship attacks Pago Island
I Ain't Goin' Out Like That	Cypress Hill 	
* Jaime Reyes fights Kord soldiers in the hallways
Sabor a Mí 	Luis Miguel 	
* The Reyes family returns to their home
Nada personal 	Soda Stereo 	
* End credits
I'm All Out of Love 	Air Supply 	
* Mid-credits scene
== Videos ==
=== Trailers ===
=== Featurettes ===
=== TV spots ===
=== Others ===
== References ==
The DC Universe Wiki has a collection of images and media related to Blue Beetle (film).
# ↑ Blue Beetle Just Set Up the Return of a Major Justice League Hero
# ↑ "Jaime Reyes 'Blue Beetle' Latino Superhero Movie in Development at DC and Warner Bros (Exclusive) - The Wrap
# ↑ "'Blue Beetle': Angel Manuel Soto to Direct Film About DC Comics' Latino Superhero (Exclusive) - The Wrap
# ↑ Angel Manuel Soto confirms the report from The Wrap
# ↑ Theaters or HBO Max? Warner Bros. movie plans take shape as Discovery merger looms
# ↑ "DC’s ‘Blue Beetle’ Moves From HBO Max, Sets 2023 Theatrical Release" - The Hollywood Reporter
# ↑ ‘Cobra Kai’ Star Xolo Maridueña in Talks to Star as Latino Superhero ‘Blue Beetle’ for HBO Max (Exclusive)
# ↑ Blue Beetle Casting Confirmation
# ↑ ‘Blue Beetle': Bruna Marquezine, Belissa Escobedo and Harvey Guillén Join Cast of DC Movie (Exclusive)
# ↑ ‘Blue Beetle’ Cast Adds George Lopez, Adriana Barraza, Elpidia Carrillo and Damián Alcázar (Exclusive)
# ↑ "Sharon Stone Joins DC’s ‘Blue Beetle’ as Villain" - The Hollywood Reporter
# ↑ Susan Sarandan confirms her role via Instagram
# ↑ ‘Cobra Kai’ Star Xolo Mariduena in Talks to Lead DC’s ‘Blue Beetle’
# ↑ DC's Blue Beetle Set Photos Reveal First Look at Costume
# ↑ DC Comics' 'Blue Beetle' Wraps Production in Puerto Rico