If anyone was under the impression that James Gunn and Peter Safran’s overhaul of the DCU would go some way to healing the division among the DCU fandom that’s run rampant for years, then a throwaway line in the trailer for Blue Beetle should have that question well and truly answered.
The incoming comic book adaptation is in an interesting and unique place given its origins and what’s coming next, with the former HBO Max exclusive being upgraded to a theatrical release, while Shazam! Fury of the Gods cratering at the box office could be a worrying sign that audiences have already given up on the initial iteration of the franchise.
Blue Beetle looks like a fun time at the theater, though, and there’s always a chance it could become a critical and commercial success that leaves the co-CEOs with no other option than to integrate the title hero into Chapter 1: Gods & Monsters. That being said, there are a number of Batman backers who want nothing more than to see it fail, based entirely on George Lopez referring to the Dark Knight as “a fascist.”
It’s clearly a joke, but given the constant badgering by SnyderVerse supporters to see the abandoned mythos resurrected, restored, and even sold off to Netflix, they were always going to be left infuriated by a dig at Bruce Wayne’s costumed alter ego. It’s the personal opinion of a solitary character in a largely standalone film used for comedic effect, but that hasn’t stopped a rogue band of DCU detractors from crossing their fingers and wishing nothing but failure upon Blue Beetle when it releases this summer.