Shot of the “Blue Beetle” trailer. Photo by Anthony Arroyo.
By Anthony Arroyo Staff Reporter
DC Studios’ upcoming “Blue Beetle” will mark history, as the title character will be the first-ever live-action Latino superhero.
While “Blue Beetle” has been part of the DC Universe for over 80 years, this will be the first time the character will be presented on the big screen.
Xolo Maridueña, who is of Mexican, Cuban and Ecuadorian descent, will play the role of Jaime Reyes and his alter ego, Blue Beetle. Maridueña is most known for his role as Miguel Diaz in “Cobra Kai.” In an interview with Los Angeles hip-hop radio station Power 106, Maridueña expressed his pleasure with being able to positively represent the Latinx community with this role.
“There’s Latinos that we’ve seen in movies, but it’s the gang banger, the housemaid, the person struggling with immigration,” said Maridueña, “We’ve seen those stories before, but to see a Latino in a positive light and who’s the hero of the story…it’s going to be really crazy for the world. It’s gonna really show the world that Latinos are not a monolith.”
For decades, superhero films have typically cast white males as the main protagonist. People of color have traditionally been given supporting or antagonist roles. However, this has started to change in recent years as there has been a shift to include more representation in the superhero genre.
2018’s “Black Panther” starring the late Chadwick Boseman solidified this shift, as it was the first mainstream superhero film to have an African American lead. “Black Panther” was embraced and celebrated by African culture, and many African American children were ecstatic to see a superhero that looked like them.
That same year, the animated film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” strayed away from the typical Peter Parker story. The film featured a protagonist named Miles Morales, who is both African American and Puerto Rican. The movie’s message was built upon the foundation set by “Black Panther.” That is: Anyone can wear the mask, no matter who you are or what you look like, you can be a hero.
Just like those films, “Blue Beetle” has the potential to have a positive impact on the Latinx community. Susan Sarandon, who will play the main antagonist in “Blue Beetle,” revealed that much of the film’s dialogue will feature Spanish with English subtitles. The majority of the cast is of Latinx background; this representation in media can show that Latinos are more than just side characters. Along with the upcoming film “The Flash,” “Blue Beetle” is expected to be critical in the future success of the DC Extended Universe. Will “Blue Beetle” live up to expectations? We will find out on Aug. 18.