Warner Bros. and DC Studios evidently have a lot of confidence in this summer’s Blue Beetle after it was upgraded from an HBO Max release to a full-scale theatrical blockbuster, and the first trailer offered plenty of signs as to why.
It looks fast-paced, fun, and filled with the sort of heart and humor the DCU has been trying and failing to weaponize in its big budget adaptations for a number of years, with star Xolo Maridueña set for a breakout role that could launch him towards megastardom in what marks his very first feature film appearance.
Of course, there was inevitable backlash from the SnyderVerse subset after George Lopez called Batman a fascist in the footage, but that likely won’t do much to derail its chances of box office success; unless of course it follows the Shazam! Fury of the Gods route and ends up bombing because it hasn’t been confirmed as part of James Gunn’s overhaul.
Outside of that, though, Maridueña has found himself coming under fire from comic book fans after making a bold proclamation about Jaime Reyes’ newfound abilities, completely forgetting that it’s actually been a staple and standard part of the medium dating back over half a century.
You get the point he’s trying to make, but saying Blue Beetle is the first costumed crimefighter given powers they never asked for nonetheless does a stellar job of disregarding almost the entirety of comic book history. The purists are up in arms, but they usually are whenever a brand new hero gears up for their live-action bow.