Blue Beetle is a 2023 American superhero movie inspired by the DC Comics character Jaime Reyes, also known as Blue Beetle. Directed by Ángel Manuel Soto and penned by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, it marks the 14th installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Blue Beetle struggled at the Box Office, earning $130.8 million globally against a production budget estimated $125 million, making it the lowest-grossing film in the DCEU.
Xolo Maridueña takes on the role of Reyes, a fresh college graduate who acquires superpowers through an ancient alien artifact called the Scarab. Produced by John Rickard and Zev Foreman for DC Films and Warner Bros. Pictures, this film is a significant addition to the superhero genre.
The journey to create a film centered on the Jaime Reyes version of Blue Beetle began in late November 2018, with Dunnet-Alcocer as the screenwriter. In February 2021, Soto was brought on board to direct the film for HBO Max. Maridueña was cast in August of that year, and the project transitioned to a theatrical release set for December.
Additional casting occurred in early 2022, with filming taking place from late May to mid-July at Wilder Studios in Decatur, Georgia, as well as in El Paso, Texas, and Puerto Rico. Notably, it is the first live-action superhero film featuring a Latino lead.
Blue Beetle had it’s premiere in El Paso on August 14, 2023, and was released across the United States on August 18. It garnered generally favorable reviews from critics and became the most-watched title on HBO Max in the U.S.
The film’s Box Office challenges were linked to several factors, including the Hollywood labor disputes of 2023, the impending reboot of the franchise with the DC Universe (DCU), and the impact of Hurricane Hilary.
