The DC Universe is transitioning to a whole new future under James Gunn and Peter Safran's leadership. Yet, there are still some projects from the previous DC management that are still set to come out this year. Blue Beetle (2023) will land in theaters this summer, and it stars none other than Cobra Kai's Xolo Maridueña as superhero Jaime Reyes. He is the first Latino lead in a DC project, bringing an additional layer to the comic book character in the live-action. From the release date to the plot, trailer, cast, and more, here are all the details you should know about this highly anticipated project.



When and Where Is Blue Beetle Releasing?

Unlike Batgirl and Scoob!: Holiday Haunt, Blue Beetle wasn't scrapped from the DC release calendar. After the Warner Bros-Discovery merger, a number of upcoming films were double-crossed from existence but luckily, our scarab-themed hero was among those that survived. As for the release, Blue Beetle will land in theaters on August 18, 2023, forgoing its original plan for a direct-to-streaming release on HBO Max. The film will also receive the IMAX treatment, making the viewer experience much more immersive according to director Angel Manuel Soto who said this during a Q&A with the Press:


The Blue Beetle trailer introduces Jaime Reyes as the titular superhero lead. He lives in a fictional city called Palmera and has an unfulfilling job in the hotel industry, up until he is asked to guard a box with a mysterious bug/alien inside it known as a scarab. As the creature manages to escape the box and bite Jaime's spine, he finds himself transformed into the Blue Beetle. From what we can tell from the trailer, Jaime's superpowers include a well-equipped exosuit that shields him from dangerous situations and enhanced vision that allows him to detect any potential threats. Since the film shows him as a newly transformed superhero, it will also likely draw focus to Jaime's process of adapting to his newfound abilities and learning how to use them wisely. While he tries his best to use his supernatural powers for good, the character must keep an eye out for Victoria Kord and Conrad Carapax, who plan to use the scarab that transformed Jaime for a devious plan of their own.


What Is the Plot of Blue Beetle?

Here is the official synopsis of the film:


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.


Who's In the Cast of Blue Beetle?

One of the most exciting things about this project is the fact that it's DC's first Latino-led superhero movie. Cobra Kai star Xolo Maridueña will play Jaime Reyes on the big screen and this will be his first movie credit. During a Q&A session (which Collider attended), Maridueña spoke about what it was like to be cast in the role and getting to tie it all back to the comics:


Brazilian actress Bruna Marquezine plays Penny, Jaime's romantic interest in Blue Beetle. This is her Hollywood debut, after a jam-packed acting career in Brazilian soap operas and TV shows. As for the antagonist, Sharon Stone was originally in talks to play Victoria Kord, but Susan Sarandon will be portraying the villain in the film instead. Here is what she told Collider's own Arezou Amin about the experience playing the character.


Other names set to star in the superhero film include Raoul Max Trujillo as Conrad Carapax (aka Carapax the Indestructible Man), Damian Alcazar and Elpidia Carrillo as Jamie's parents, Belissa Escobedo as Jaime's sister, the legendary George Lopez as Jaime's uncle, Adriana Barraza as Jaime's grandmother, and Harvey Guillen as Dr. Sanchez.