Comic book movies have been dominating the entertainment industry for years now, showing absolutely no signs of slowing down. Warner Bros. is bringing the DC Extended Universe to the small screen with projects like Batgirl and the Blue Beetle movie. Actor Xolo Maridueña will play the title role in the latter movie, and recently spoke about the importance of Latin representation in the DCEU.
Fans will know Xolo Maridueña from Netflix’s series Cobra Kai but starring as the lead of Blue Beetle has the potential to be a career-changing role for the 20 year-old actor. On top of bringing the young hero to life on the big screen for the first time, the role is also a major step for inclusion within the DCEU. As Maridueña explained,
Honestly, it feels like I’ve skipped a few stepping stones. ‘Cobra Kai’ has been such a wonderful opportunity, (and) it feels a little bit intimidating being this is my first movie and it’s in a realm that’s totally different than anything I’ve ever worked on. I’m nervous, but I’m excited. It’s gonna be important, not only for Latinos and to see people of color, brown people, represented onscreen, but also show a story that we haven’t really seen before.
There you have it. It’s clear that Xolo Maridueña understands the pressure that’s on him for Blue Beetle. Not only because he’ll be leading a massive blockbuster in a new genre, but also because he wants to represent his community in the role, and help contribute to more Latin stories being shown on screen.
Xolo Maridueña’s comments to USA Today come from an interview about the new season of Netflix’s Cobra Kai. Eventually the conversation turned to his upcoming DCEU debut in Blue Beetle, and what it’s going to take to bring the iconic character Jamie Reyes to life on the big screen. This includes a ton of training, and a strict diet.
The conversation around representation has been ongoing for a number of years, including within the superhero genre. Both the MCU and DCEU have taken positive steps forward in this regard, but Blue Beetle will mark the first time a major Latin story is told in that particular shared universe. And smart money says Xolo Maridueña is going to kick a ton of ass throughout the streaming movie’s mysterious runtime.
As previously mentioned, Blue Beetle isn’t the only DC project coming to HBO Max. The Batgirl movie will also be a streaming release, with Michael Keaton recently confirmed to be reprising his role as Bruce Wayne opposite Leslie Grace’s title character. There’s also TV shows coming like James Gunn’s Peacemaker.
Blue Beetle is currently expected to hit HBO Max on August 18th, 2023. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
