One of the countless DC movies revealed to be in development over the past few years is a solo film for Blue Beetle, specifically the Jaimie Reyes version. Fans reacted with a “we’ll believe it when we see it” attitude when the project was announced back in 2018, but now it looks like the pic is actually going to happen as it’s finally found its director.
The Wrap is reporting that Warner Bros. has hired Angel Manuel Soto, fresh off helming 2020’s acclaimed indie smash Charm City Kings, to direct Blue Beetle. The movie was already set to be notable thanks to starring the first ever leading Latino superhero in cinema, but now it’s especially meaningful as it has a Latino filmmaker behind the camera, too. In 2018, Scarface remake writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer was said to be providing the script, but it’s unclear if his work will be carried over or if Soto will want to start fresh with a new screenplay.
Reyes is the third Blue Beetle in DC history, following the Golden Age’s Dan Garrett and the Silver Age’s Ted Kord. Garrett’s powers were derived from an ancient Egyptian scarab while Kord’s came from his brilliant inventions. Reyes, on the other hand, also drew his abilities from the scarab, but discovered that it was actually an alien artifact, a kind of homing beacon for an extraterrestrial army.
Of course, Reyes is often paired with Booster Gold, another character fans want to see in the DCEU, although it’s yet to be revealed if he’ll appear in the BB film or not. It’s worth pointing out, though, that Peacemaker is a mentor of Reyes’ in the comics, and John Cena is about to debut as Christopher Smith in The Suicide Squad. Do we smell a crossover brewing?
It’s too early to say who could be playing Blue Beetle, but going by the recent Supergirl casting, it’ll likely be another newcomer or lesser-known actor. As always, watch this space for more.