DC’s Blue Beetle film has finally found its director
Blue Beetle is coming to the big screen and now we know who will be directing it.
All the way back in 2018, it was revealed that Warner Bros. and DC were developing a film adaptation of Blue Beetle with Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer (2019’s Miss Bala) attached as a writer. While there have been different versions of the Blue Beetle throughout DC Comics’ history, the movie was reported to center on the latest wearer of the mantle, Jaime Reyes, a teenager of Mexican and American descent who finds an alien scarab that becomes attached to him (yikes), giving him a super-powered suit to fight baddies with.
The film appeared to stay dormant shortly after the reveal. However, the project has just taken a significant step forward. According to The Wrap, the film has found its director in Angel Manuel Soto. Dunnet-Alcocer, meanwhile, remains as Blue Beetle‘s screenwriter.
Who is directing Blue Beetle?
If you’re unfamiliar with the film’s creative team, allow us to give you some background on it. Angel Manuel Soto Soto is a star on the rise who recently helmed Charm City Kings, an adaptation of 2012’s 12 O’ Clock Boys, a documentary that centers on a boy who dreams of joining a group of dirt-riders. Charm City Kings premiered on HBO Max in 2020 and became a critical success (it currently holds an 81% rating on Rotten Tomatoes).
Dunnet-Alcocer, on the other hand, penned the screenplay for 2019’s Miss Bala, an adaptation of the eponymous Mexican thriller from 2011.
In a statement to The Wrap, Soto expressed his excitement to helm Reyes’ solo adventure:
"“It is an honor to direct [‘Blue Beetle’], the first Latino superhero film for DC […] I want to sincerely thank everyone at Warner Bros. and DC for trusting me to bring Jaime Reyes to life. I can’t wait to make history together.”"
This represents an important step for Warner Bros. (and the superhero-movie genre as a whole) in terms of diversity, since Blue Beetle will likely become the first Latino superhero to headline his own film. Latino characters — specifically Latino superheroes — have been scarcely represented in superhero television and film.
Luckily, that trend has shifted in recent years, evidenced by the casting of Salma Hayek as Ajak in Marvel Studios’ Eternals, and Sasha Calle’s casting as Supergirl in the upcoming The Flash.
When is Blue Beetle released?
Even though having a director attached to a project doesn’t necessarily relate to how fast said project goes into production, it appears Warner Bros. is keen on having cameras rolling on Blue Beetle sooner rather than later. As revealed by The Wrap, the studio intends for the film to begin production in the fall of this year. If things go according to plan, it’s possible for Blue Beetle to be released at some point between late 2022 and early 2023.
There are currently no details on the film’s story or setting. It’s also a mystery whether Blue Beetle will be part of the main line of DCEU films that includes Wonder Woman 1984 and Man of Steel, or whether it will be in its own universe, similar to Matt Reeves’ The Batman. However, with the movie planned to start production in just a few months, it will likely not be long until we learn more about its place in DC’s ever-growing franchise(s).
While we wait for Blue Beetle, to arrive, DC’s film universe will soon return with Zack Snyder’s Justice League, coming to HBO Max on March 18, 2021.
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Are you looking forward to Blue Beetle? Let us know in the comments below!