‘Blue Beetle’: First Reactions Are Praising the Second-to-Last DCEU Movie

‘Blue Beetle,’ the third live-action DC movie this year and the 14th and second-to-last movie set in the DC Extended Universe, is less than a week away. Given how the previous two DC movies this year, ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ and ‘The Flash,’ both suffered commercial failures; the predicted numbers aren’t working in the upcoming movie’s favor. However, that doesn’t affect the movie’s reception from critics and fans, and from the first reactions, it seems like the fans are gearing up for another positively-received DC installment.

‘Blue Beetle’ was initially announced as the streaming movie for HBOMax before it was changed to have a theatrical release. ‘Cobra Kai’ star Xolo Maridueña was cast in the titular role, which makes him the first Latino actor to lead a superhero movie. Angel Manuel Soto was hired to direct, and the movie tells the story of Jaime Reyes, the character who is known as the third Blue Beetle in the source material. Once he gets in contact with the Scarab, he’ll become a superhero in Palmera City. And as it usually goes, the forces of evil will rise against him, led by Victoria Kord, who wants to take the Scarab for herself.

The first reactions for ‘Blue Beetle’ point out to another fun DC movie!

Since the next DC movie is just around the corner, the first reactions have now arrived all over social media. We’ll need to wait for the opening weekend to see how the movie will perform commercially, but regarding the movie’s critical quality, here’s what the reviewers had to say.

“The #BlueBeetle movie is mostly a blast. Some is too silly or childish for me, a lot had me laughing loud (George Lopez!). Practical suit rocks. The Latino representation is awesome. Enjoyed the family-centric stakes, solid action beats. Overall, it’s fun.”

Brandon Davis

“Happy to report Angel Manuel Soto’s #BlueBeetle was so much better than I expected. He’s added his own flavor to the superhero genre by having the film focus on a tight-knit family and Latino culture. It’s fun, extremely funny, and he got away with a few jokes that floored me.”

Steven Weintraub

“#BlueBeetle is a MASSIVE win for DC & an electric introduction to the first hero of the DCU. Xolo Maridueña’s charismatic star-making performance confidently anchors this intimate synth wave journey of family, heritage, & purpose. A fresh and endearing spin on the origin story!”

Griffin Schiller

“#BlueBeetle is an electric and thrilling ride, Xolo Maridueña was born to play Jaime Reyes! It’s a spellbinding origin story, made and steered by the excellent Angel Manuel Soto. Loved the film and what it teases about the future of DC.”

Ben Rolph

“#BlueBeetle was a huge surprise. After a shaky start, the #superhero movie is full of laughter, action & lots of heart. Xolo Maridueña kills it, So does Bruna Marquezine, George Lopez is hilarious & Adriana Barraza is a hoot as “Nana”. Take the whole familia & bring tissues.”

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From the first reactions, it’s safe to say that we can expect a really fun movie. We know that James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Studios is currently working on softly rebooting DCEU into DCU, which will kick off with ‘Superman: Legacy’ in July 2025.

James Gunn already announced that Maridueña’s Blue Beetle would continue to exist in DCU, and Maridueña also said that he hopes to play the character for 12 more years. The director Angel Manuel Soto also previously teased that he hopes to make a ‘Blue Beetle’ trilogy. It all depends on the commercial results, so we can only hope for the best.

The ‘Blue Beetle’ movie is starring Xolo Maridueña, Adriana Barraza, Damián Alcázar
Raoul Max Trujillo, Susan Sarandon, and George Lopez. Directed by Angel Manuel Soto from the screenplay by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, ‘Blue Beetle’ will open in theaters on August 18, 2023.

Are you looking forward to ‘Blue Beetle’? What do you expect from the movie? Let us know in the comments.

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