‘Blue Beetle’ Director Says Film Has The Blessing Of Warner Bros. Discovery Despite ‘Batgirl’ Cancelation
Warner Bros. has been dumping movie projects left and right ever since they took Batgirl behind the barn while it was still being finished. JJ Abrams’ monopoly on Justice League Dark appears to be over and we won’t be seeing a Wonder Twins movie anytime soon either.
Some productions received a stay of execution and one of them is Blue Beetle starring Cobra Kai actor Xolo Maridueña as the Jaime Reyes iteration of the hero that became quite popular in the last two decades.
Insiders, fans, and filmmakers at work on the buggy youth’s first live-action feature were concerned about the film’s fate during the madness but the director assured NPR everything is fine for now.
“I’m not going to lie. There was [a] concern, anger, fear at first,” admits director Angel Manuel Soto. “They told me not to worry, the film has their full support.”
Time could change WB Discovery CEO David Zaslav’s attitude toward Blue Beetle and its box office potential. Soto, though, is confident enough in his film’s immunity that he teased things we can expect when the film hits at some point next year.
“He’s kind of like a fusion of Green Lantern and Iron Man,” the director said. “He has a scarab from outer space that is attached to his body called Khaji da.”
Screenwriter Gareth Dunnet Alcocer added the movie will show Jaime’s strained relationship with his family and the potential of becoming a fugitive caused by the scarab entering his possession.
“What would my mom do if an alien technology burrowed into my spine? She would not think it’s cool,” said Alcocer. “And for the Reyes family, this is terrible. ‘We’re going to get attention from American institutions, from the government, from military, from the police.'”
Unlike his onscreen family, Maridueña can’t wait for people to see what the strikingly accurate suit the scarab bestows can do. And he really likes wearing it.
“Every time getting in the suit I get so giddy. The thing is sick, it’s awesome, and being in it is even cooler,” he said to The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m really excited for everyone to see everything that the suit can do in the movie.”
The lead Beetle was also asked about Batgirl and he was rather careful with his remarks although it can be inferred that he sides with the scuttled film’s star Leslie Grace and its directors.
“It obviously feels very close, right? Warner Brothers and Beetle. But I think everything that has to be said on the topic has been spoken from [those involved],” the actor answered. “I think the creators and Leslie said everything that had to be said.”
Far from winding up like Batgirl, Blue Beetle was leveled up to a theatrical release scheduled for August 18th of next summer.
NEXT: Leaked Blue Beetle Set Images Show Comic-Accurate Suit
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