Could Blue Beetle deliver a surprise win for DC?
The first superhero film with meaningful Latino representation arrives without the baggage that weighed down recent DC titles (*cough* The Flash *cough*)

This hasn’t been a great year so far for DC superhero movies. Shazam: Fury Of The Gods made less in its entire theatrical run ($134 million) than The Super Mario Bros. Movie did in its first weekend ($146.3 million). And the less said about the mess that was The Flash, the better. Which brings us to DC Studios’ next release, Blue Beetle, opening in theaters on August 18. Saving the world is one thing, but having the fate of an entire studio franchise in your hands is something no superhero would relish. Not only that, but Blue Beetle is the first superhero movie with significant Latino representation both on and off-screen, so industry folks will be watching its performance closely. Those are some pretty high stakes for a late summer release based on a mid-tier comic-book character most moviegoers haven’t heard of.
There are signs that Blue Beetle is up to the challenge. Warner Bros. has done its part to boost awareness of the film. The trailer is currently running in theaters before every showing of Barbie, and at most showings of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles too. There’s plenty of Blue Beetle merch and toys in stores right now, and even a tie-in promotion with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. You may have seen the poster on billboards, benches, and buses, or the many targeted ad spots on TV and online. And early preview screenings have already generated enthusiastically positive responses from critics.
Representation matters
One emerging theme is that Blue Beetle strives to deliver an unapologetically authentic representation of Latino culture. The film tells the origin story of Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña), a college graduate from a Mexican-American family who’s still figuring out his life when he comes into contact with a powerful alien relic that gives him superpowers. Unlike other heroes who have to hide their secret identity from their loved ones, Jaime’s family is fully aware of his fantastic new abilities. He’s supported on his path to heroism by his mother (Elpidia Carrillo), father (Damían Alcázar), sister (Belissa Escobedo), uncle (George Lopez), and Nana (Adriana Barraza). As screenwriter Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer puts it in the film’s production notes: “Good luck trying to hide a secret from your mom in a Latino household, they always know!”