With mere days left before Blue Beetle opens in theaters on August 18th, the pressure is seemingly on for this origin story to out-perform other missteps in its shared universe. In theory, Blue Beetle could be a game-changer – early reviews are strong for the film and, given that the character has already been confirmed to introduce James Gunn’s new universe, investing in Jaime Reyes’ story isn’t a lost cause brought forth by a dying continuity.
After years of flops for the DCEU, Blue Beetle stands as one of the last projects in the shared universe before James Gunn ushers in his new DCU. Since the hero is slated to be one of the few connecting figures between DC's present and future cinematic universes, could the success of the film be enough to change audiences' minds about the DCEU before it is rebooted?
Blue Beetle has a lot riding on its success
DC Studios has had a rollercoaster of a year so far. After multiple delays to three feature films that pushed their releases into this year, the conflicting back-and-forth surrounding Black Adam’s box office numbers, and Batgirl being scrapped after it had already been completed, DC Studios was under scrutiny long before James Gunn and Peter Safran were hired to take over. Many fans of the heroes that had been mishandled by their representations in previous DCEU movies were excited and relieved by the change in leadership, especially after the overwhelmingly positive responses to Gunn’s The Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. When it was announced that Gunn and Safran planned to reboot the franchise almost entirely with three films remaining in the DCEU, and many conflicting timelines and reports regarding the fate of beloved DCEU characters, fans were left with more questions than answers.
The most recent DC properties flopped at the box office. Shazam: Fury of the Gods effectively killed any chance of a future for the character after it squandered any hope its predecessor generated. Black Adam received a lukewarm response from audiences and conflicting poor box office returns. The Flash tanked so hard that it's a wonder how that finished product was ever released while Batgirl was scrapped. Blue Beetle seems like it might be the last chance for the DCEU to retain its previously positive reputation before Gunn ushers in his new universe.
What a successful Blue Beetle could mean for diversity in superhero media
Though only a few critics have had the chance to see the film prior to its release, those who have already flocked to social media to share their initial reactions. Blue Beetle has had an incredible reception so far: some critics are hailing it as their favorite post-Christopher Nolan DC film, and others are noting the success and importance as the first live-action superhero film to fully embrace Latino culture.
It’s easy to look at the buzz surrounding Blue Beetle and see the first steps toward a better DC live-action film franchise. Cobra Kai star Xolo Maridueña embodies the role of Jaime Reyes perfectly. Blue Beetle’s dynamic weaponry showcased through a practical effect-based suit is sure to exceed many fans’ expectations. Those aspects paired with a stacked cast (most notably Susan Sarandon and George Lopez in prominent roles) ensure this movie is sure to deserve the hype it’s already getting.
For those who cannot wait for the release of this film, its arrival as a commodity could not be less relevant when acknowledging its cultural importance. Despite the WGA and SAG/AFTRA strikes halting press tours, something that is sure to impact any movie released during these strikes, the critics who have seen this film are joining James Gunn and the film’s lead actor in urging moviegoers to support the project. Regardless of the sins of DC’s past and present, this is still the first live-action superhero film to center around a Latino hero. Blue Beetle opens a door for more diverse comic book media to follow in its footsteps, as well as create more of a space for Hispanic and Latino writers, actors, and professionals behind the camera. It’s probable that we’ll all be seeing something similar to Black Panther in this upcoming film.
How could the DCEU be remembered once James Gunn reboots the universe?
Despite the general consensus towards the DCEU this year, the entire extended universe hasn’t all been like The Flash. The shared universe had notable hits with Wonder Woman and Aquaman, and other films in the franchise have continued to be well-received by fans. That being said, the glaring mistakes made by the DCEU have long outnumbered its accomplishments. From dull and overcomplicated plots, poor cinematography, and inconsistent levels of action within one film to trying (and failing) to emulate MCU hits, the DCEU has a majority of its glory days in the rearview mirror.
Blue Beetle is in a peculiar spot. The film exists between two different cinematic universes and has been forced to undergo a strange road to its current place in either franchise. More likely, rather than being seen as a relic of a petering continuity updated to usher in a new one, Jaime Reyes exists as the perfect cornerstone. Using this character as a strong introduction to what is to come represents the best of what Gunn is planning on offering in his own cinematic universe. However, the fact still remains that the film stands alone in the DCEU and should be seen as the best of what it had to offer audiences.
Blue Beetle opens on August 18th.