Now that we are a full 15 years after the release of Iron Man, superhero fans know full well to sit through the entirety of the credits of a comic book movie in order to catch the sequel-chasing post-credits scenes. Yet, there are sometimes other items hidden after the film’s end that may mean a lot more than a cameo from some familiar face, at least to the movie’s crew. Case in point: Blue Beetle, which fades out with a dedication that reads “Para Rudy.”
“Para” is obviously “For” in Spanish, with the complete translation being “For Rudy.” The use of Spanish, with it being the first language of many of the film’s cast and crew, is entirely fitting for the DC universe’s first movie featuring a Latino lead. Likewise, using a single name suggests a close, personal connection between those who made the film and the subject of the dedication. So, what do we know about the deeper meaning behind Blue Beetle‘s touching final message?
Who is the Blue Beetle end credits dedication about?
At the time of writing, no one involved with Blue Beetle has come forward to explain who “Para Rudy” explicitly refers to, although we can speculate that this unknown real person was the inspiration behind George Lopez’s character in the movie, Jaime Reyes’ Uncle Rudy. As the eccentric, Batman-hating uncle of Xolo Maridueña’s protagonist, Lopez makes a big impression on audiences, and it seems that he’s someone who’s very much drawn from real life.
Screenwriter Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer has revealed that Rudy Reyes was closely inspired by his own uncle. When explaining that he drew on his own familial experience to bring the Reyes clan to life, Dunnet-Alcocer admitted he peppered a lot of his uncle’s eccentricities into Rudy’s personality:
“This was my access to the characters,” he said. “There’s a guy in the script, Rudy Reyes (George Lopez), who plays Jaime’s uncle, who’s inspired by an uncle of mine. He’s a quintessential Mexican-American character. He’s a guy who listens to Los Tucanes de Tijuana or Los Canetes de Linares, but he also listens to Blondie and Morrison. He grew up watching I love Lucy and also watching Telemundo.”
Dunnet-Alcocer doesn’t specify if his uncle shares a name with Rudy, but it’s certainly a possibility, and it seems plausible that the dedication “Para Rudy” could come from the writer’s close relationship to his uncle. The filmmakers of Blue Beetle are extremely proud to represent Latin-American culture and to reflect their personal experiences on the big screen in such a high-profile superhero blockbuster, so it would be only appropriate that the film ends with a touching tip of the hat to a beloved relative.
Blue Beetle is set to be released on digital platforms on September 26, following its theatrical release in August. However, its availability on Max may not be confirmed for some time to come.