It seems as though Blue Beetle may very well fly again! Xolo Maridueña teases his return as Jaime Reyes in James Gunn’s new DC Universe will happen sooner than many expected.
James Gunn and Peter Safran wiped the slate clean with their DC Universe slate, choosing to recast almost every actor that previously played one of their heroes that wasn’t already attached to projects deep into development. The one exception was surprisingly Xolo Maridueña, who played Jaime Reyes in Blue Beetle, a film landing squarely in the old universe prior to the reboot.
Details about Xolo Maridueña’s return as Jaime Reyes in the new DC Universe have been kept sparse, with even the most reliable of scoopers having no information to share about a potential Blue Beetle sequel. However, it seems James Gunn may have plans for the character in the near future, with Maridueña teasing that his return will be “soon.”
“I know we’ll see Blue Beetle again, whether it comes in the form of Blue Beetle 2 or wherever,” Maridueña told ScreenRant during the Saturn Awards this past weekend. “It’s been really great to work alongside James [Gunn] and Peter [Safran], who have graciously folded us into their new universe even though it wasn’t part of what they came up with. It’s an honor. Now, where Blue Beetle heads in the future? I don’t know. But I can confidently say that we will see him soon.”
While Blue Beetle struggled at the box office, it’s important to note the film both came out during the strike and an ongoing reboot of the DC Universe. It’s possible James Gunn and Peter Safran take a gamble on a direct sequel continuing Xolo Maridueña’s story as Jaime Reyes. Though with a Booster Gold project on the horizon, Maridueña may very well be a supporting character for the time being.
The future of the DC Universe
James Gunn and Peter Safran told journalists that their vision for the DC Universe includes locked scripts, wiggle room, and a unified storyline across film, television, animation, and video game projects. The two explained that the DC Universe could bring back elements from previous DC regimes, meaning that their eight-to-year plan is not a full reboot.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, Blue Beetle, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom have all been released following the announcement of the new DC Universe, all four projects struggling at the box office. Will the characters from those movies make appearances in the new DCU? Only Gunn and Safran know.
Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the DC Universe after Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom!
