James Gunn’s revamped DCU has been a topic of extensive debate, with a prevailing sense of pessimism among many. Even though the rebooted universe is still in its infancy, a significant shift is on the horizon, thanks to the remarkable reception that Blue Beetle has managed to amass.
Earlier this year, Gunn confirmed Blue Beetle is the first DCU character. Despite being one of the more relatively obscure superheroes, his current impact on critics and audiences, as evidenced by Rotten Tomatoes, is hard to deny.
As of the time of writing, Blue Beetle boasts a 77% fresh score from 155 reviews and a 93% audience approval based on over 250 verified ratings. When measured against the previous DC films, Blue Beetle is undoubtedly making a name for itself, as the last film to achieve such remarkable Rotten Tomatoes scores was Gunn’s 2021 reboot, The Suicide Squad. Given the recent tendency for critics and audiences to diverge in their opinions, the fact that they now have a consensus speaks volumes about Blue Beetle.
Much of the acclaim is aimed at Xolo Maridueña’s stellar portrayal of Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle. The American actor who initially rose to prominence through Netflix’s Cobra Kai series has been lauded for infusing a unique authenticity into the superhero character (though it certainly helps that he is a big comic book nerd). Director Ángel Manuel Soto has also received his fair share of praise for his depiction of Latin American culture, especially the powerful aspect of family.
There’s a high likelihood that these scores will dip as more critics and audiences catch the film over the weekend. But, if it maintains a solid average score of around 70 or higher would convey a powerful message to Warner Bros. It might suggest that investing in lesser-known superhero characters could be a more promising path compared to rebooting characters that audiences have been seeing on the big screen for years.
Fans have been yearning for more creativity within the superhero genre. Now that DC Studios has taken the lead on this proposition, it could mark a crucial turning point that can potentially help the struggling studio gain an upper hand over its main rival, Marvel Studios.
Gunn will surely be brimming with joy over this incredibly positive reception, especially considering he has been open with his intentions to feature Blue Beetle prominently in his 10-year DCU roadmap, with two planned sequels.
