Blue Beetle Trailer

By: Thom Kilgoar

This August, DC comics hero Blue Beetle is receiving his long overdue motion picture. From the trailer that released this past week, it looks as though director Angel Manuel Soto's (The Farm, 22 Weeks) origin tale for the Blue Beetle will be an action packed adventure film with unique cultural influences that set it apart from its peers. 

Blue Beetle is the story of Jaime Reyes, a young adult everyman from Palmera City who has a strong bond with his family, and an even stronger bond with the alien technology fused to his spine. The Scarab, the weapon of an alien race and the source of Blue Beetle's powers is an unstoppable force with a mind of its own. The suit itself will no doubt give the film slapstick charm, with Jaime unable to fully control his burgeoning new abilities and finding himself in imaginatively chaotic situations as a result.

Seeming to draw stylistically from Japanese tokusatsu heroes such as Kamen Rider and Ultraman, the fights look intense and kinetic and showcase star Xolo Maridueña's (Cobra Kai) martial arts action background. Blue Beetle's unique set of powers include but are not limited to spawning insectoid appendages when in danger or even manifesting a giant sword out of thin air. In an action movie ecosystem dominated by brooding or self-serious heroes, Blue Beetle promises an extravagant frolic with a brightly costumed hero pulled straight from the comic pages.

Soto chose to base his version of this story in Palmera City, an analog to El Paso, Texas and cast well-known actors from Latin American cinema to give the Reyes family authentic dialect and texture. Jaime's close relationship to his family is a pillar of his identity as Blue Beetle, and the themes of family bonds and cultural heritage will be integral to the film. There's no doubt this will be a film to see alongside one's own family, doubly so for those of Latin American background, with both its director and leading actor publicly expressing the personal importance of Latin culture in movies. 

We here at Bear Walker, with great excitement for the upcoming film, have produced a unique custom board featuring the Scarab. This one-of-a-kind board will be sent to Mr. Mariduena to celebrate his amazing role bringing Blue Beetle to life. Please be on the lookout for our upcoming boards we're releasing in partnership with DC Comics in the months to come, and make sure to take your loved ones to see Blue Beetle when it debuts in theaters August 18th.