Blue Beetle star Xolo Maridueña recently revealed that DC fans won’t have to wait too long to see him back on the screen as the young superhero.
via: Screen Rant
Blue Beetle star Xolo Maridueña weighs in on the character's future. The 2023 superhero movie was one of the final outings in the DC franchise as it transitioned from the DC Extended Universe to the DC Universe. The DC Universe is a new iteration of the franchise that will be overseen by new DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran. While the DCU kicks off with 2025's Superman: Legacy and several other upcoming titles that have already been announced, it is currently unknown exactly how many DCEU characters will either return or be recast.
Screen Rant had the opportunity to speak with Blue Beetle star Maridueña on the red carpet for the Saturn Awards, where he is nominated for Best Younger Actor alongside the movie's Best Superhero Film nomination. The star confidently asserts that "I know we’ll see Blue Beetle again," expressing his gratitude for Gunn and Safran folding the character into their plans for the DCU. However, he is unsure if the appearance will be in a sequel or elsewhere in the franchise. Read his full quote below:
"I know we’ll see Blue Beetle again, whether it comes in the form of Blue Beetle 2 or wherever. 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."
Maridueña's confidence that the character will return in the DCU would seem to indicate that there is indeed a bright future for Blue Beetle. Whether or not that will be in the possible Blue Beetle 2 remains to be seen, however. Coming as it did during the waning period of the DCEU, the original movie was far from a commercial success. In fact, it's the lowest-grossing installment of the 15-movie franchise. Below, check out how it compares to the top 3 and bottom 5 DCEU titles:
Rank | Title | Reported Budget | Worldwide Box Office |
1 | Aquaman (2018) | ~$200 million | $1.15 billion |
2 | Batman v Superman (2016) | ~$325 million | $874.4 million |
3 | Wonder Woman (2017) | ~$149 million | $824 million |
11 | Birds of Prey (2020) | ~$100 million | $205.4 million |
12 | Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) | $185 million | $169.6 million |
13 | The Suicide Squad (2021) | $185 million | $168.7 million |
14 | Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) | ~$125 million | $134 million |
15 | Blue Beetle (2023) | ~$125 million | $130.8 million |
The movie made back slightly more than its production budget, which is better than some titles that landed higher on the list. However, this is far from the movie's estimated break-even point, as the Blue Beetle box office likely needed to earn at least $208 million before it ended up in the black. Making a direct sequel to the least-seen movie in the franchise may seem like a risky prospect as Gunn and Safran try to get the DC movies back on their feet.
However, as the release of Blue Beetle came during a transitional period, it could potentially be elevated if the upcoming DC movies are successful. While some characters have already been recast, including Superman (who will now be played by David Corenswet instead of Henry Cavill), Blue Beetle's introductory movie was less encumbered by connections to the franchise at large than other recent low-grossing DC releases. If he appears in a successful DCU movie, this could retroactively draw viewers to the original because it wouldn't necessarily feel like it is breaking the new canon, eventually leading to a proper sequel.
Even though it wasn't the biggest standout superhero film, I thoroughly enjoyed Blue Beetle, especially the dynamic between Jaime and his family. Susan Sarandon was the poorest written villain, but with James Gunn and Peter Safran in charge I'm sure James has major plans for Blue Beetle so I trust what he's got in store for the character.
Even though the first film wasn't perfect, Blue Beetle deserves another chance on the big screen with a solo sequel, but also inject him in other DCU films so that more people who haven't seen Blue Beetle can fall in love with Jaime the way I did when I saw BB in theaters.
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