Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, films such as Dune, Wonder Woman 1984, Godzilla vs. King Kong, Mortal Combat, and The Matrix Resurrections found their home on the HBO Max streaming platform. A similar plan was in store for the upcoming DC superhero film Blue Beetle. However, Warner Bros. announced the film will be bypassing the streaming service, debuting solely in theaters in summer 2023.
Blue Beetle will center on DC Films' first Mexican-American superhero, starring Cobra Kai household star Xolo Maridueña. The move is a bit of shock to audiences accustomed to the flexibility the HBO Max streaming service provided, but it's a welcomed one to see the groundbreaking character make his debut on the big screen. The film's plot is relevantly unknown, but Maridueña will play adolescent Jamie Reyes, who acquires supernatural abilities after finding an alien suit of armor. There is a tremendous amount of belief in this film, evident through the studio's willingness to give the story the exposure it deserves.
While Warner Bros. has now set an August 18, 2023, release date for Blue Beetle, the film is still within its pre-production phase, which possibly means that the first glimpses of the story won't arrive until late 2022 or early 2023. However, during an appearance at DC Fandom 2021, Maridueña proclaimed that his Blue Beetle costume would spark jealously among other established superhero characters. In addition, concept art emerged during that same event, which showcased a fresh personality full of energy and dominant elegance. Audiences unfamiliar with the DC character can draw assumptions about the superhero's power source, from the electric flashes to the wings brandishing the dazzling suit of armor.
The decision to release the Angel Manuel Soto-directed film directly to HBO Max was met with an incredible amount of criticism because of the limited exposure the Mexcian-American superhero would receive from a larger audience. Batgirl and Static Shock, scheduled to be released by the streaming service, met the same level of criticism because of the perception it created about the studio's confidence in female and ethnic diverse leading characters. It was an interesting question to ponder at the time when a film such as Spider-Man: No Way Home was making its way into theaters with an ungodly amount of enthusiasm. However, despite the criticism, the decision to move forward with the film demonstrates faith in the characters' ability to shine.
Warner Bros. sent its entire 2021 film slate to the HBO Max streaming service but has declared that things will return to a sense of normalcy in 2022 with its theatrical releases. Unfortunately, the coronavirus pandemic has not diminished, which the studio still recognizes since films will release on the streaming services after 45 days of theatrical attention.
The direction the Blue Beetle film will take within the story of Jamie Reyes is unclear, but screenwriter Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer promises a fun film that displays everything great about the superhero and his culture. Giving this character theatrical space to thrive is enormous, and audiences will flock to theatres full of support and excitement. If Black Panther and Shang-Chi have shown anything, it's that diverse characters from different cultural backgrounds attract viewers and matter.
Blue Beetle will leap into theaters August 18, 2023.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter