DC has just dropped the final trailer for its summer blockbuster, Blue Beetle, revealing some of the fierce villains Jaime Reyes will go toe-to-toe with in the film that will hopefully break the DC superhero flopbuster curse.
The trailer, running for a little over three minutes, kicks off with Reyes attempting to activate his armor with a catchphrase before he gets the bright idea to leap off a roof (as all superheroes do!). The rest of the trailer gives us glimpses of how the Scarab selected Reyes as its host and how he’s adapting to his newfound powers (think Jarvis being in charge instead of Iron Man).
Naturally, every superhero must have a supervillain, and Blue Beetle’s archenemy comes in the form of Conrad Carapax/Indestructible Man, an archeologist whose consciousness inhabits an indestructible robot body. But the real threat lies in Victoria Kord, played by Susan Sarandon, a relentless businesswoman determined to get her hands on the Scarab.
Blue Beetle is set to be a big milestone in the DC Universe for a couple of reasons. Firstly, James Gunn has revealed that while Superman: Legacy will be the official film to kickstart the revamped DC universe, Blue Beetle will be the first superhero in Gunn’s DC universe.
It’s clear that Gunn has big plans for the scarab-wielding hero, as he’s even expressed interest in turning Blue Beetle into a trilogy. As more characters join the DC Universe, it’s highly likely that Blue Beetle will find himself rubbing shoulders with the likes of Doctor Fate and Hawkman as part of the Justice League International.
Secondly, DC is breaking new ground in superhero representation, as Jaime Reyes will be the first Latino superhero to take center stage in a DC film. With Hollywood embracing diversity, we’re finally getting more opportunities to see superheroes from different backgrounds shine on the big screen.
Marvel had a head start with Black Panther, which celebrated Black culture (while technically Blade was the first Black superhero from Marvel, he is not a part of the MCU continuity), but when it comes to Latino representation, the Kevin Feige-led studio has yet to make a film centered around a Hispanic superhero.
Similarly, DC is making a lead with Hispanic representation, but disappointingly, they still haven’t delivered a solo film for a Black superhero (remember the Cyborg film that never happened in the DCEU?).
Blue Beetle is set to make its highly anticipated debut in theaters on August 18, paving the way for Aquaman and the Last Kingdom, which will close the DCEU chapter come December.
