Things We Saw Today: DC’s ‘Blue Beetle’ Jumps From HBO Max to Theaters

Warner Bros. and DC Films have a large slate of new film and television offerings planned for 2022 and beyond. And while the company will continue to have its films simultaneously released in theaters and on HBO Max, some projects meant for the streamer are getting bumped up to an exclusive theatrical release. That’s the case for Blue Beetle, which will now get a theatrical release on Aug. 18, 2023.

It’s a big move for the film, which introduces DC’s first onscreen Latinx superhero. Directed by Angel Manuel Soto (Charm City Kings), Blue Beetle follows working-class teen Jaime Reyes, who discovers a mystical scarab of alien origin. The scarab bonds with Reyes and provides him with a suit of extraterrestrial armor in an origin story that is part Iron Man, part Venom, all DC. Reyes will be played by Xolo Maridueña, who currently stars in Netflix’s Cobra Kai.

Warner Bros. and DC have also let a Latinx lead actress for Batgirl, who will be played by Leslie Grace (In the Heights). She’ll be joined by J.K. Simmons (reprising his role as Jim Gordon) and Brendan Fraser, who plays the villain Firefly.

While Batgirl is planned for an HBO Max release, it could still make the jump to theatrical. And as Batgirl has more name recognition than Blue Beetle, it has us wondering why it’s not getting the same bump. But we’re a long way away from both films, so there’s still time for anything and everything to change.

(via THR, image: Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

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He’s checking it twice
He’s gonna start mining Arrakis for spice pic.twitter.com/vaVkvr5iig

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