Even though the DC Extended Universe will soon come to a close as James Gunn and Peter Safran take the reins and reboot (nearly) everything, it’s making sure to go out with a bang thanks toBlue Beetle.
That puts Blue Beetle in a unique position, as the character himself is already confirmed to be one of the few from the DCEU that will remain in the new DCU. Not only is this the end of a decade-long effort to stand toe-to-toe with Marvel, but it’s also the first step in a brand-new beginning for DC. Despite this, director Angel Manuel Soto isn’t feeling too much pressure.
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“I’m very happy that [James Gunn] feels that way,” Soto tells me. “I’m proud of what we did and what the cast was able to do. They poured their hearts and souls into this movie and took it to heart, not just what it means to them but what it means to others out there to see themselves represented that way. Knowing that James and Peter feel that way about the movie is very humbling and it excites me. Pressure-wise, this is just the first of many. I hope people take it that way and come in to experience a super fun movie that’s for the whole family and get excited about what’s next.”
Although Soto has previously said that he views Blue Beetle as a trilogy and clearly has ideas about what’s next for the Reyes family, he also acknowledges the importance of making this first film a standalone adventure that doesn’t try to set too much up.
“The reluctancy part of this hero was a driving factor in creating this first movie, to be the first act of a saga. Spend time with him, know him, know his community, feel so familiar with him that when he faces other cosmic villains or whatever in the future, and we have global stakes, you already know where he came from.”
For a lot of gamers, that introduction won’t be necessary, as one of Jaime Reyes’ most notable appearances outside of the comics, and where most fans of the character will likely know him from, is Injustice 2. Soto notes he “took a lot of inspiration from” Injustice within Blue Beetle, as he reveals that one of the fighting sequences within the film includes a combo from Injustice, while some of the Scarab’s manifestations are also based on the game..
That’s not the only gaming reference that’s in Blue Beetle. Nintendo’s Power Glove and Final Fantasy 7’s Buster Sword both show up, but Jaime also utters Scorpion’s “get over here” at one point during the movie. Soto tells me that the team wanted to pay homage to the culture that they grew up with, from anime and TV shows to movies and video games.
One of the most interesting things about Blue Beetle since its announcement has been the huge response from fans, also known as the Blue Beetle Battalion, who have rallied around the movie and tried to shine a spotlight on it, from coming up withfake marketing dealsto just sharing the trailer around as much as possible to try and make the film a success, something Soto is very grateful for.
“It’s been overwhelming to see that,” Soto says. “I have immense gratitude because it means the world. It means that people have connected with this character before, whether it’s through Injustice or just through fans of Xolo [Maridueña, who plays Blue Beetle] or fans of Bruna [Marquezine, who plays Jenny Kord], people connect to the story of Jaime and they want to see him not just exist, but see him be the hero that they’re excited about and maybe see what happens to him with other heroes.”
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