Blue Beetle is reportedly very important to the DCEU future. First announced as an HBO Max film, Blue Beetle was bumped up to a theatrical release and is slated for release on August 18, 2023. The film is focused on the third and most recent Blue Beetle named Jaime Reyes who will be played by Cobra Kai star Xolo Maridueña.
In the wake of the cancelation of Batgirl, many were wondering if the studio would also cancel Blue Beetle but it appears the movie is safe. With the recent delays of other DC films, it is now one of four films from the studio set for release in 2023 alongside Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Standing alongside those major heroes and franchises, it would seem like Blue Beetle is the odd film out but the film's star hints that the movie actually is a big part of the DCEU future.
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In a recent profile on Maridueña in THR, the actor revealed that during the audition process for Blue Beetle he was informed how important the character is to the franchise. The current head of DC Films Walter Hamada told Maridueña during the audition process that the character of Jaime Reyes and Blue Beetle were very important to the future of the DCEU. The casting process was looking not just to hire a face but someone who could be a believable human and give the character depth.
Hamada saying Blue Beetle was an important part of the DCEU future is interesting and provides some context for what the executive has planned for the future of the franchise. Blue Beetle, alongside Batgirl and other announced projects like Static Shock and Zatanna, showed the studio was looking to expand their universe outside the most popular name heroes like Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. They wanted to put a greater emphasis on diversity in terms of race and gender in their superheroes, as well as spotlight younger heroes to likely carry the franchise into the future.
However, it is now unclear how Blue Beetle will factor into the new 10-year DC plan Warner Bros. Discovery's David Zaslav has for the brand. With Hamada reportedly being replaced by The Lego Movie producer Dan Lin as the head of DC Films, there is a good chance those original plans are now scrapped. While it is eleven months until Blue Beetle's release, this change in leadership leaves a lot of uncertainty around the future of the DCEU.