When & On Which Streaming Platforms Will ‘Blue Beetle’ Be Available?

‘Blue Beetle‘ marks the first step into James Gunn’s DCU, but unlike previous DC movies, which went straight to HBO Max, this one was first released in the theatres. That means fans will get the best visual experience when watching a Latino superhero taking the lead role in a big-studio movie for the first time. While the idea of watching the movie on Imax is thrilling, most fans still want to know when and where they will be able to stream ‘Blue Beetle.’

Although initially set to be released exclusively on Max, Warner Bros upgraded ‘Blue Beetle’ to be theatrically released, which means the movie will stay on the big screen for a while. Warner Bros hasn’t officially announced a date for the digital release. Still, we believe it will be on Max sometime between October and December 2023, depending on its success in the theatres.

‘Blue Beetle’ is no regular DC movie, as it marks the beginning of a new universe that clearly seeks to resonate with viewers. While explaining his reason for opting for a theatrical release, the movie’s director, Angel Soto, said getting the best viewing experience from the start will draw everyone closer to the superhero. While initial reactions to the movie have been mostly positive, fans hope it won’t disappoint when released digitally like ‘The Flash,’ so let’s look at what Blue Beetle is all about and what to expect.

What is ‘Blue Beetle’ about?

*This section contains spoilers for the Blue Beetle movie

Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) is the first college graduate of the Reyes family living in Palmera City, Texas. He is struggling to save the family home and is on the verge of being repossessed by Kord Industries by working for the same company. However, he gets fired when he intervenes in a fight between the CEO, Victoria Kord, and her niece Jenny Kord (Daughter of Ted Kord).

Jenny is struggling to prevent her aunt from using ancient alien technology known as the Scarab to create weapons. After enlisting Jaime’s help to steal the Scarab from Kord Industries, the alien technology breaks free and chooses Jaime, giving him superhero powers and an indestructible armored suit.

However, these powers come at a cost, as Victoria Kord sends her henchmen after Jaime’s family. Although Jaime defeats the Kord security guards, his father suffers a cardiac arrest and dies. Jaime also gets kidnapped by the head of security at Kord, known as Carapax, who also has superpowers created using Kord’s cybernetic enhancements.

Victoria takes Jaime to a secret Kord laboratory on Pago Island, where she starts replicating the Scarab’s power in Carapax. Transferring Scarab’s system information into Carapax is complete by the time Jenny and the rest of the Reyes family arrive and rescue Jaime.

Carapax, now a supervillain with powers similar to the Scarab and a far superior suit, tries to stop Jaime and his family from escaping the Island. Jaime, who formerly fought with restraint, engages all of the Scarab’s powers to defeat Carapax in a bid to save his family.

The movie ends on a positive note, with the familial bond of the Reyeses taking center stage. Initial reviews of the movie have been largely positive, with most people praising the Latino flavor, Xolo Maridueña’s electric performance, and the perfect balance of action and comedy in the movie.

Why was ‘Blue Beetle’ released in theatres?

The movie was initially scheduled to be digitally released on Max, but the studio upgraded it to a theatre release. “I think that we did an amazing job in bringing it to life on the concept development of it all that at the end, Warner Brothers decided that this movie has to go to the theaters,” Angel Soto said in an interview while explaining the studio’s decision to move the movie to the theatres.

Theatrical release is often secured for huge-budget movies, which is why many fans were surprised at ‘Blue Beetle’ being chosen for the big screens. However, the director confirmed that the team used enough CGI to complement filming, making the movie perfect for the big screen.

While the theatrical release means that those waiting to watch on small screens will have to wait longer, it is good for the movie as it boosts its popularity and increases anticipation ahead of the digital release.

Angel Soto also explained that the theatre is the best place to introduce a big superhero like Blue Beetle, who is expected to impact the DCU greatly. The big screens allow viewers to connect better with the character, giving them the best feeling of what he is about.

That decision came while DC was still reeling from three big Box Office flops in ‘Shazam: Fury of The Gods,’ ‘Black Adam,’ and ‘The Flash.’ However, Warner Bros’ decision to release Barbie in the theatres paid off big time, and the studios hoped for a similar performance by ‘Blue Beetle.’

When and where will you be able to stream ‘Blue Beetle’?

Warned Bros has remained tight-lipped on the date for the digital release, but we believe ‘Blue Beetle’ will be available for streaming before Christmas 2023. Max is the default platform for DC digital releases, so fans can expect ‘Blue Beetle’ to be available for streaming there soon.

For now, the only way to watch ‘Blue Beetle’ is to go to a theatre near you. The exact date of the digital release won’t be released until the theatrical release runs its course. If the movie flops at the Box Office, then then it will be released digitally sooner.

‘Blue Beetle’ will also be available for rent on Prime Video, especially for the global audience that may not have access to Max. The details of other streaming platforms for ‘Blue Beetle’ haven’t been released as of the publishing date.

Angela-Soto also confirmed that the movie will be available on Blu-Ray, which is good for those intending to watch from home. However, Blu-Ray will also come a few months into the theatrical release.

Will ‘Blue Beetle’ stream on Netflix?

Warner Bros releases their movies on Max since they purchased the streaming platform, and they rarely rent out their content. Therefore, ‘Blue Beetle’ is unlikely to be available for streaming on Netflix.

The same goes for Disney, now Max’s direct rival, so Netflix and Disney+ subscribers will have to rent on Prime Video or other streaming platforms that get the license.

Netflix could still stream the movie for the global audience if they agree with the studios, although it will likely be limited to regions where they don’t compete with Max.

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