DC Comics’ Blue Beetle. Photo courtesy of DC Comics.
Preview:
DC Studios has a ‘Blue Beetle’ series in the works.
Miguel Puga and Cristian Martinez are developing the show.
The movie’s cast may return.
While it looked like Latino superhero tale ‘Blue Beetle’ might have arrived at exactly the wrong time –– just as the DC movie universe overseen by Zack Snyder was being swept aside for the new regime run by James Gunn and Peter Safran of the rechristened DC Studios –– there was chatter at the time (including from Gunn) that it might not be the last we’d see of Jaime Reyes, the character played on screen by ‘Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña.
And indeed, that appears to be true, since Deadline reports that an animated series based on the Reyes character and his bonded armor is now in the works.
Recent college grad Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab.
When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Blue Beetle.
Originally created by artist Charles Nicholas Wojtkoski and writer Will Eisner for Fox Comics’ ‘Mystery Men’ Comics in 1939, Blue Beetle was introduced as Dan Garret, a vigilante who fought crime using powers gained from chemical compound Vitamin 2-X, though that origin was later retconned to an archeologist with a suit and abilities derived from the alien Khaji Da scarab living weapon. He was succeeded by tech whizz Ted Kord, first appearing in Charlton Comics (which bought Fox and was itself later taken over by DC).
The Jaime Reyes version, a creation of Keith Giffen, John Rogers and Cully Hamner for 2006’s ‘Infinite Crisis Issue 5, spawned a titular title two months later in May of that year. In his story, Reyes discovered the Blue Beetle scarab on the way home from school with two of his best friends Paco and Brenda, half-buried in a disused lot. Reyes took the scarab home, curious as to what it might be. That night, the scarab came alive, and grafted itself to the base of Jaime’s spine, and provided him with a suit of extraterrestrial armor, which can be modified to enhance his speed and strength, as well as to create weapons, wings, and shields.
While there is no confirmed casting yet, Deadline’s story mentions that overtures have been made to the main cast from the movie, and all seem willing –– assuming contracts are signed –– to return. And there is the possibility that a successful run could see a live-action return to the big screen for Maridueña and co.
Who is working on the new ‘Blue Beetle’ show?
Director Ángel Manuel Soto at a ‘Blue Beetle’ Fan Screening in London.
‘Blue Beetle’ movie director Angel Manuel Soto and writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer will serve as executive producers.
This new show will build on the movie, but tell its own story, fitting in with Gunn’s vision for DC going forward as opposed to directly continuing what was begun in the screenplay.
The DC Extended Universe began a decade ago with ‘Man of Steel‘ but will officially come to an end on December 22nd when the final DCEU movie, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,’is released in theaters.
To honor the conclusion of the DCEU and the release of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,’ Moviefone is ranking every DCEU movie ever made!
However, since ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League‘ (the reedited version of 2017’s ‘Justice League‘) is not considered cannon, we will not include it. We are also only focusing on the DCEU films, so we won’t be including HBO Max‘s ‘Peacemaker‘ either.
(L to R) Jason Momoa, Gal Gadot, and Ray Fisher in ‘Justice League.’
Fuelled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s (Henry Cavill) selfless act, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) and Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) assemble a team of metahumans consisting of Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) and Victor Stone (Ray Fisher) to face the catastrophic threat of Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) and the Parademons who are on the hunt for three Mother Boxes on Earth.
A secret government agency led by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) recruits some of the most dangerous incarcerated super-villains (including Will Smith as Deadshot and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn) to form a defensive task force. Their first mission: save the world from the apocalypse and kill the Joker (Jared Leto).
Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in ‘Wonder Woman 1984.’
A botched store robbery places Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) in a global battle against a powerful and mysterious ancient force that puts her powers in jeopardy. Also starring Chris Pine as Steve Trevor, Kristen Wiig as Barbara Minerva/Cheetah, and Pedro Pascal as Maxwell Lord.
Billy Batson (Asher Angel and Zachary Levi) and his foster siblings, who transform into superheroes by saying “Shazam!”, are forced to get back into action and fight the Daughters of Atlas (Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler), who they must stop from using a weapon that could destroy the world.
When his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod (Michael Shannon) has returned and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. In order to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry’s only hope is to race for his life. But will making the ultimate sacrifice be enough to reset the universe?
Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death and wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman (Jason Momoa) down once and for all. To defeat him, Aquaman must turn to his imprisoned brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance in order to save the world from irreversible destruction.
Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods—and imprisoned just as quickly—Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson) is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world and battle the Justice Society, including Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) and Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan), in the process.
Recent college grad Jaime Reyes (Xolo Mariduena) returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab.
(L to R) Jack Dylan Grazer and Zachary Levi in 2019’s ‘Shazam!’
Teenager Billy Batson (Asher Angel) is given the ability to become an adult superhero (Zachary Levi) in times of need with a single magic word. Also starring Jack Dylan Grazer as Frederick “Freddy” Freeman, Djimon Hounsou as the Wizard Shazam, and Mark Strong as Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.
A young boy learns that he has extraordinary powers and is not of this earth. As a young man, he journeys to discover where he came from and what he was sent here to do. But the hero in him must emerge if he is to save the world from annihilation and become the symbol of hope for all mankind.
The movie stars Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, and Michael Shannon as General Zod.
Ben Affleck as Batman in 2016’s ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.’
Fearing the actions of a god-like Super Hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day savior, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs.
And with Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before. Also featuring Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor, and Jeremy Irons as Alfred Pennyworth.
(L to R) Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Margot Robbie, Ella Jay Basco and Jurnee Smollett-Bell in ‘Birds of Prey.’ Credit: Claudette Barius/Warner Bros.
Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) joins forces with a singer (Jurnee Smollett-Bell as Dinah Lance/Black Canary), an assassin (Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Helena Bertinelli/The Huntress) and a police detective (Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya) to help a young girl (Ella Jay Basco as Cassandra Cain) who had a hit placed on her after she stole a rare diamond from a crime lord (Ewan McGregor as Roman Sionis/Black Mask).
An Amazon princess (Gal Gadot) comes to the world of Man in the grips of the First World War to confront the forces of evil and bring an end to human conflict. Also starring Chris Pine as Steve Trevor and David Thewlis as Ares.
Once home to the most advanced civilization on Earth, Atlantis is now an underwater kingdom ruled by the power-hungry King Orm (Patrick Wilson). With a vast army at his disposal, Orm plans to conquer the remaining oceanic people and then the surface world. Standing in his way is Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), Orm’s half-human, half-Atlantean brother and true heir to the throne.
(L to R) Margot Robbie, Daniela Melchior, Idris Elba, Sylvester Stallone, and David Dastmalchian in ‘The Suicide Squad’
Welcome to Belle Reve, the prison where the worst Super-Villains are kept and where they will do anything to get out, even join the super-secret Task Force X. Today’s assignment? Assemble a collection of cons, including Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), King Shark (Sylvester Stallone), and everyone’s favorite psycho, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie).
Now arm them heavily and drop them on the enemy-infused island of Corto Maltese. Trekking through a jungle teeming with militant adversaries and guerrilla forces at every turn, the Squad is on a search-and-destroy mission with only Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) on the ground to make them behave, and Amanda Waller’s (Viola Davis) government techies in their ears, tracking their every movement.
The latest movie from the DC cinematic universe showcases Jaime Reyes as he gains incredible superhero powers from an ancient alien tech known as The Scarab.
Blue Beetle was first introduced in comic books in 1939 and has since made appearances in animated shows such as ‘Young Justice’, and live-action TV series such as ‘Smallville’. The film marks the Latino superhero’s first entry into the DCU, where it focuses on the origin of his power and the introduction of Kord Industries.
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Aside from great action sequences, the film also highlights Jaime’s family. Their close-knit relationship shows that not all superheroes need to go it alone. The Reyes family was always a part of the character’s story, and showcasing this in the movie adds an extra layer of emotion and heart.
“Recent college grad Jaime Reyes returns home full of aspirations for his future, only to find that home is not quite as he left it. As he searches to find his purpose in the world, fate intervenes when Jaime unexpectedly finds himself in possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the superhero Blue Beetle.”
Originally, the movie was not intended for a theatrical release. ‘Blue Beetle’ was set to hit streaming service Max (formerly HBO Max), but during development, the studio decided to give the film a theatrical run. Filmed for IMAX, audiences are able to be immersed in the story and action scenes of Blue Beetle.
As the newest superhero in the DCU line-up since James Gunn and Peter Safran took over as co-CEO, fans wonder if Blue Beetle will return in future projects. James Gunn took to his Instagram account with a photo from the screening to confirm that Jaime Reyes will remain in the DCU, “I can’t wait for audiences to meet Jaime Reyes, who will be an amazing part of the DCU going forward!”
Currently, there’s no word on whether a ‘Blue Beetle’ sequel is in development. However, this doesn’t mean Maridueña won’t show up in upcoming DC projects. Gunn has also confirmed that John Cena and Viola Davis will continue to have a presence in the DCU as their characters, Peacemaker and Amanda Waller.
‘Blue Beetle’ was released domestically on August 18, 2023. Currently, the movie is still playing in theaters, and if you want a chance to experience it on the big screen, AMC Theaters has the movie available for $5 as a part of its Fave Faves deal. ‘Blue Beetle’ has a total runtime of 2 hours and 8 minutes
Watch the official trailers for ‘Blue Beetler’ below:
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The movie was released on digital on September 26 and is available for purchase for $24.99 or rent for $19.99 on platforms such as Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, YouTube, and Google Play. The movie has yet to arrive on streaming, but once it meets its 90 to 120-day window, it should arrive on Max.
Fans can look forward to 4K UHD, Blu-Ray, and DVD release on October 31, 2023. There will be a steelbook edition as a Best Buy exclusive. Bonus features for the physical release include:
Generations: Blue Beetle” – 4-part documentary
Told in distinct chapters, explore the journeys of actors and filmmakers bringing “Blue Beetle” to the big screen for the first time ever. Audiences will be immersed in the POV of filmmakers who showcase their experiences on set and in their creative studios making the story of this DC character a reality.
Nana Knows Best – featurette
Witness Nana’s transformation from an adorable ‘abuelita’ into a machine gun-wielding revolutionary, and stop in for a few of her most fun moments on set throughout production.
Scarab Vision – 2-part featurette
Xolo Maridueña hosts this series of scene study walk throughs that showcases how the scarab works and the role it plays in some of Blue Beetle’s most epic moments.
When ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ arrives in December, it’ll make the official demarcation point between what was known by fans as the DC Extended Universe (or the “Snyderverse” given Zack Snyder’s extensive involvement in launching it with ‘Man of Steel’ and other movies) and the DC Studios era currently being shepherded by filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran, who are sharing the duties of running the Warner Bros. arm.
And fans are naturally interested to know whether there will be much crossover between actors from the previous movie universe and the Gunn/Safran era, which has often sounded like a reboot, bringing in lots of new elements.
So, who will be sticking around? Given that at least two of them were part of shows that Gunn has previously said will be part of his plans, they are not a surprise, but he’s now gone on the record again.
James Gunn in ‘Superpowered: The DC Story.’ Photograph by Courtesy of Max/Warner Bros.
According to Gunn’s latest comments, both Viola Davis (who plays ambitious Suicide Squad wrangler Amanda Waller) and gung-ho vigilante Peacemaker himself, John Cena, will both be sticking around.
“Nothing is cannon until ‘Creature Commandos’ next year –– a sort of aperitif to the DCU –– & then a deeper dive into the universe with ‘Superman: Legacy’ after that. It’s a very human drive to want to understand everything all the time, but I think it’s okay to be confused on what’s happening in the DCU since no one has seen anything from the DCU yet. And, yes, some actors will be playing characters they’ve played in other stories & some plot points might be consistent with plot points from dozens of films, shows & animated projects that have come from DC in the past. But nothing is canon until ‘CC’ and ‘Legacy’.”
‘Creature Commandos’ will feature a voice cast that includes Davis as Waller, and a ‘Peacemaker’ spin-off featuring the character has been announced. Cena, meanwhile, will be back for the planned second season of ‘Peacemaker’ (even if it’ll likely have to wait until ‘Waller’ and ‘Legacy’ are complete).
Gunn has previously said that Xolo Maridueña, who starred as Jaime Reyes, the main character in this year’s ‘Blue Beetle’ will be staying around, despite the movie’s relatively low $125 million worldwide gross (from an estimated budget of $104 million before marketing costs). He hasn’t specified since then, and there is no ‘Blue Beetle’ sequel on the books, but Maridueña could well show up in other projects.
‘Creature Commandos’ will be on Max next year, while ‘Superman: Legacy’ is scheduled for release on July 11th, 2025. With the WGA strike now over, the writer/director can get back to work on the script, while hopes are high that the actors will be available once SAG-AFTRA’s own industrial action is complete, and performers have a decent new deal from the studios.
‘Barbie’ might have been knocked down to second place again at the domestic box office this weekend by ‘Gran Turismo’, which managed to take the top spot (yet only for the three-day weekend and only by $200,000, with final figures possibly changing that), but Greta Gerwig’s movie is now on track to surpass yet another record.
As of Monday, the movie had made $1.34 billion, which means it is $1 million from overtaking ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2’, the previous global champ. Of course, all of this has to be qualified with the usual “adjusted for inflation” argument, since ‘Deathly Hallows’ came out in 2011, when tickets prices were cheaper.
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Barbie: the story so far
Greta Gerwig attends the ‘Barbie’ Press Tour, Sydney Australia 2023. Photography by Caroline McCredie for Warner Bros/NBC Universal. Contact: jade.perry@nbcuni.com.
Directed by Gerwig, the film –– for anyone who has yet to see it –– brings the world of the iconic toy to life as Margot Robbie plays a Barbie living in “Barbie Land”, a place where variants of the character live happily: until she starts to realize she’s just not feeling the same way. Cue a trip to the real world…
‘Barbie’s success is all the more impressive because it has clearly connected beyond the initial rush of memes and jokes around the first couple of trailers. The movie has captured the public imagination, and alongside Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’, has become one of the movie events of the year.
It just keeps on breaking records, including non-holiday weekend earnings and low drops in subsequent weeks.
The film, which also stars Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Ariana Greenblatt, Simu Liu and Will Ferrell, had a budget of roughly $100 million, and while it had an extensive promotional campaign, word of mouth and a clutch of positive reviews have carried it to big money.
Could it hit $2 billion? Anything is possible at this point, though with the state of the theatrical business post-Covid, it’s more unlikely than before the pandemic. Still, it continues to bring in audiences.
While backers/rights holders Mattel have naturally hinted at a whole world of follow-ups and spin-offs, there are no current and official announced plans.
Still Greta Gerwig, despite saying she had no ideas for a sequel, did say this to ‘People’ before the movie hit the billion mark:
“There’s a tone and a humor and a joy, and obviously the world is so beautiful. I want to go back to Barbie Land.”
Elsewhere at the Box Office
(L to R) Sang Heon Lee, Darren Barnet, Archie Madekwe, Emelia Hartford and Pepe Barroso Silva are GT Academy drivers in Columbia Pictures ‘Gran Turismo.’ Photo: Gordon Timpen.
The other buzzy film of the summer, Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’, is barreling towards the $800 million mark at the worldwide box office after earning $29.1 million from 7,555 screens in 82 territories. Nolan’s film, a biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer and the creation of the atomic bomb has enjoyed a massive $777 million worldwide gross — an astonishing figure for a somber, R-rated drama. And the money may well keep rolling, in since its debut in China is coming soon.
‘Gran Turismo’ added $11 million to bring its global haul to just over $53 million. The racing film will still need to put the pedal to the metal if it hopes to turn a profit.
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Elsewhere in Warner Bros. stable, ‘Meg 2: The Trench’ added $15.2 million from 16,224 screens in 77 offshore markets. That brings its global gross to $352.5 million.
And unlike other Hollywood releases, which have struggled in China lately, the giant shark movie has gotten a big boost from that market, earning $112.9 million
Then there is ‘Blue Beetle.’ The superhero origin story earned an estimated $10 million for the weekend in 71 international markets and on 10,421 screens. Globally, the picture has earned $81.8 million, a disappointing result for a movie that cost more than $100 million to produce.
Director Ángel Manuel Soto at a ‘Blue Beetle’ Fan Screening in London.
Having seen his most recent movie –– DC superhero origin story ‘Blue Beetle’ –– open top of the box office this weekend (with the proviso that it was a relatively soft $25.4 million, less than Warner Bros. was hoping for), director Ángel Manuel Soto has another potential job on the horizon.
According to The Wrap, he’s adding to his To Do list: Soto is now attached to direct buddy action comedy ‘The Wrecking Crew’ for MGM.
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What is ‘The Wrecking Crew’?
Dave Bautista in ‘Knock at the Cabin,’ directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
While the title has been used before –– cinematically for a Dean Martin-starring Matt Helm movie and a documentary about the legendary group of 1960s session musicians, while there is a Marvel comic with the name –– this is, in fact, the movie that Dave Bautista and Jason Momoa set up back in 2021.
The two actors, who are friends in real life, decided to figure out a movie to work together on.
Bautista put the idea out into the world as a tweet in August of 2021.
The concept has snowballed since then; MGM snapped up the chance to make the movie after a bidding war and it has since been handed to ‘Warrior’ and ‘Banshee’ TV series creator Jonathan Tropper (who wrote ‘The Adam Project’ for Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy) to turn into a script. Jeffrey Fierson, who worked with Momoa on the Netflix series ‘Frontier,’ will produce.
Jason Momoa as Dante in ‘Fast X’, directed by Louis Leterrier.
So far, neither MGM nor the potential stars have revealed anything about the plot for this one –– Momoa and Bautista had hoped for something along the lines of ‘Lethal Weapon’.
Perhaps (and this is only our speculation) it’ll focus on a pair of cops who are notoriously destructive in their missions, hence the name. That’s something we can see the pair doing well.
Soto, of course, isn’t David Leitch as the original tweet suggested, but he’s certainly proved he can bring fun and style to the movies he makes, including ‘Beetle’ and his previous effort, ‘Charm City Kings’.
And while no one can work on the movie just yet because of the writers and actors’ strike (Tropper’s script was completed before the Writers Guild of America started its industrial action back in May), Soto has proved to be a director in demand.
In addition to this new potential assignment, he is also attached to work on a new ‘Transformers’ spin-off for Paramount. Soto has been developing that alongside ‘Daredevil’ (Netflix era) writer Marco Ramirez.
Few details are available on that movie, aside from the fact that it won’t be a main franchise entry for ‘Transformers’ but will instead serve as a spin-off focusing on a different story and characters within the robots-in-disguise universe.
We’ll have to wait and see whether either of these movies actually ends up hitting screens, but ‘The Wrecking Crew’ (which had been previously untitled) certainly appears to have taken a positive step forward.
Director Ángel Manuel Soto at a ‘Blue Beetle’ Fan Screening in Mexico.
Whether you’re in the mood to check out a brand-new release (this week’s ‘Gran Turismo’, say), finally learn what everyone has been talking about with ‘Barbenheimer’ or enjoy a classic on re-release, get ready to celebrate.
National Cinema Day is back, and this year’s event will happen on August 27th.
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What is National Cinema Day?
National Cinema Day 2023 is August 27th.
Following the success of last year’s inaugural version, the Cinema Foundation is calling on film fans across the country to gather for a national day to celebrate the magic of the movies on the big screen.
The second annual National Cinema Day celebrates the power of movies to bring us all together, and discounted admissions for all movies at participating U.S. theaters in all formats (including Premium Large Format screens such as IMAX) will be no more than $4.
More than 3,000 locations — with approximately 30,000 available screens — are expected to take part in the one-day event.
The event comes as the summer box office is 16.6% ahead of 2022 but 5.4% below 2019, according to Comscore. Approximately 8.1million moviegoers turned out for last year’s inaugural National Cinema Day and resulted in the highest-attended day of 2022, according to the National Association of Theater Owners.
Here’s what Jackie Brenneman, president of the Cinema Foundation had to say:
“Following the rousing success of the first annual National Cinema Day, we welcome everyone to join us for the communal experience of one of America’s favorite pastimes — moviegoing. We look forward to gathering at the movies and celebrating an exciting slate of new releases and classics, from beloved family favorites and outrageous comedies to thought-provoking dramas and thrilling adventures. There’s something for everyone.”
And here’s enthusiasm from Michael O’Leary, president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners:
“Movies have the power to bring us together to share in the joy, the thrill and the magic of a great story told on the big screen. National Cinema Day is a celebration of movie fandom and of the uniting role that movie theaters play in our communities.”
Helen Mirren in Bleecker Street/ShivHans Pictures’ ‘Golda.’ Credit: Sean Gleason, Courtesy of Bleecker Street/ShivHans Pictures.
The offer includes all movies on release on Sunday, including new titles such as ‘Golda’ (a biopic starring Helen Mirren), a new sports drama called ‘The Hill’ (starring Dennis Quaid), the current blockbuster champions including ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer,’ plus special events such as Disney’s sing-along version of the new ‘The Little Mermaid’ and a fresh re-release of ‘Jurassic Park’.
Where can I find more information?
You can get all the details, including how to get tickets, at the National Cinema Day site or via your favorite movie theater’s site.
Making his DCU debut, ‘Blue Beetle’ is filled with action, humor, and a strong family dynamic that tugs at the heartstring. Recent college graduate Jaime Reyes unexpectedly crosses paths with an alien biotechnology that gives him incredible power but pits him against the dangerous Kord Industries in Warner Bros.’s latest superhero comic book movie.
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What Is The Story of ‘Blue Beetle’?
In ‘Blue Beetle,’ we find Jaime Reyes as he returns home after graduating from college. What should be a time of celebration for the young graduate quickly turns gloomy as Jaime realized that his home was not how he had left it. As he settles back into his house and figures out how he can help his family, he unexpectedly comes into possession of an ancient relic of alien biotechnology known as the Scarab.
When the Scarab chooses Jaime to be its host, he is granted an advanced suit of armor that allows incredible and sometimes unexpected power. Once Kord Industries learns of this, they plan to hunt down Jaime and take the Scarab from him by any means necessary.
This is the Blue Beetle’s official entry into the DC Cinematic Universe. Aside from appearing in comic books starting in 1939, Blue Beetle has also appeared in the DC animated series ‘Young Justice’ and the TV show ‘Smallville.’
Xolo Maridueña is outstanding as Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle, adding his own charm to the character. Jaime has to toe the balance of being excited and apprehensive about his new power while staying grounded enough to understand the dangerous situation he’s in. Maridueña’s performance brought it all to life, as well as the delivering intense fight scenes and emotional moments.
As a young superhero’s origin story, the movie stayed focused on Jaime’s journey of becoming Blue Beetle and how to protect his family from the relentless Kord Industries rather than having him save the world in his first entry into the DCU, keeping the story grounded. The film also spends a good amount of time with Jaime’s close-knit family, hitting many heartfelt moments that elevate the movie.
The film is directed by Angel Manuel Soto and written by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer. The movie quickly introduces Kord Industries and their quest to find the alien biotechnology known as the Scarab. CEO Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon) also alludes to her intention to weaponize the alien technology, as well as her plan for the “One Man Army Corp,” better known as “OMAC.”
Jaime Reyes returns home after graduating college, excited to see his family. Much to his dismay, some unexpected news dampens the mood. The family is facing financial hardship, with their business closing and on the verge of losing their home. It’s subtle, but the film makes a point to show the gentrification of Jaime’s hometown – new corporate businesses such as Starbucks taking over the space of shuttered local businesses.
To help out his family, Jaime and his sister Milagro (Belissa Escobedo) work at a luxury resort owned by Kord Industries, putting him in the path of Victoria Kord and Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine) and, inevitably, the Scarab.
Without knowing, Jaime takes the Scarab home, where it deems him to be a suitable host. Once bonded with the Scarab, the movie kicks into high gear – taking the typical journey of Jaime learning how to use and understand its powers and the threat that comes with it.
The movie moves quickly in its 2 hours and 7 minute runtime but never felt rushed. It establishes the essential points efficiently so the characters can have their time to shine. While it is titled ‘Blue Beetle,’ the movie never forgets that Jaime’s family is equally as important as he is. They are there every step of the way – from the terrifying moment when the Scarab attaches itself to Jaime to supporting him emotionally when he needs it the most.
The attention given to the Reyes family is wonderful, but the same couldn’t be said for the antagonist of the film. The ambitious Victoria Kord will stop at nothing until she can get her hands on the Scarab, but the character remains a surface-level villain at best.
When one thinks of superhero or comic book movie, explosive action sequences and flashy CGI comes to mind. ‘Blue Beetle’ has plenty of that and does it well, but the best part about this movie is Jaime and his family. They have a close relationship that results in playful banter that had the audience in stitches and more importantly, an understanding that the most essential thing about their family is always to support one another no matter what.
The spotlight on the Reyes family gives a valuable and significant representation of the Latino community and culture, and serves as the heartbeat of the film.
This was a solid entry for ‘Blue Beetle’ as a superhero’s origin story. It’s a refreshing take on the Blue Beetle origin and has all the elements that make a great comic book movie – entertaining, great action, and humor. Great to see the writer and director didn’t feel the need to have a superhero who has just come into his powers save the world. Instead, it stayed contained to let the new hero shine at his own pace. More importantly, the Reyes family gave the story all the right emotions in the right places and is the best part of the film.
‘Blue Beetle’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.
‘Blue Beetle’ is scheduled to be released in the United States on August 18, 2023.
‘Barbie’ CinemaCon 2023 Presentation and Press Line, April 25th. Photos By Eric Charbonneau.
Having caused ripples with filmmakers and nervous feelings for already-threatened theater chains during the pandemic by putting a swathe of movies either directly on streaming service HBO Max or releasing them day-and-date online, Warner Bros. was somewhat naturally ready to go all-in on the big s screen as part of its presentation to cinemas bosses.
Warner Bros. Discovery boss David Zaslav opened with his commitment to theatrical, adding that the studio has 14 movies planned for cinemas in 2023, looking to ramp up to 20 in the coming years.
“I’m convinced, there is no other place to see a motion picture, to have impacts on all parts of the world…we believe in full windowing of the business, we don’t believe in streaming. We’re in no rush to bring movies to Max,” he said, referring to the to-be-retitled streaming service.
‘The Color Purple’
‘The Color Purple’ CinemaCon 2023 Presentation and Press Line, April 25th. Photos By Eric Charbonneau.
Zaslav has a longstanding business relationship with Oprah Winfrey (he oversaw development on her OWN network) and helped to introduce a project she’s deeply involved with –– the new musical version of Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Color Purple’.
Winfrey took the stage with the movie’s director Blitz Bazawule and told the room it was her first time at CinemaCon. “This is first circle moment for me to be a part of this film,” said Winfrey who starred in that original adaptation of the Alice Walker novel.
Winfrey said that the new musical version brings “magical realism, wholesome family goodness” to the screen. She happily introduced Bazawule,
“We knew you were the director to bring this version to the screen. How did you know you were the one?”
‘The Color Purple’ CinemaCon 2023 Presentation and Press Line, April 25th. Photos By Eric Charbonneau.
Bazawule: “I started this journey with the utmost respect for you, but also for Alice Walker, whose book gave us this amazing story…. At its core it’s about finding your voice, your family and breaking through obstacles which keep you down.”
“We’re going to get the groups in the seats,” said Winfrey, “It’s a celebration of sisterhood.”
They showed off the filled with lush Southern backgrounds, beaches, grand period costumes. We see Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery saying, “I was married to a man I didn’t know”. There’s a shot of a 1920s band set on stage, and Henson adds “We got to show these folks we belong.” The movie stars Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, Jon Batiste, Halle Bailey and more.
‘The Color Purple’ will be in theaters on December 25th.
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‘Barbie’
‘Barbie’ CinemaCon 2023 Presentation and Press Line, April 25th. Photos By Eric Charbonneau.
‘The Color Purple’ might indicate prestige, but pink was really the color for both the opening of the presentation –– launched by distribution chiefs Jeff Goldstein and Andrew Cripps who were decked out in hot pink suits with ties and sneakers to match –– and of ‘Barbie’, which has been making waves following its trailer and poster launch.
But the star of the presentation was Gosling –– clad in a pink jacket –– who revealed how the filmmakers helped him find the character of Ken.
Here’s what he said,
“I have to be honest, I had up until this point, I only knew Ken from afar. I didn’t know Ken from within,” the actor explained. “If I’m being really honest, I doubted my Ken-ergy. I didn’t see it. Margot and Greta, I feel like they conjured this out of me somewhere.”
The foursome debuted some unseen footage, which helped flesh out the story of the movie as seen in the recent trailer. Robbie’s title character is seemingly going about her technicolor life until strange things start happening, like cold showers and burnt waffles and then the ultimate ailment — flat feet. Her fellow Barbies suggest she go and see “weird Barbie,” played by Kate McKinnon who offers two options, to go back to her regular Barbie life or real-life as displayed by a stiletto or a Birkenstock.
Barbie then sets off on a journey to the real world and is surprised by Ken who joins her in the backseat of her convertible.
‘Barbie’ drives into theaters on July 21st.
‘Barbie’ CinemaCon 2023 Presentation and Press Line, April 25th. Photos By Eric Charbonneau.
From the looks of the trailer for the giant shark sequel, the filmmakers (including director Ben Wheatley) are doubling down on the monster action, bringing lots more creatures plus a new, bigger Megalodon shark.
Jason Statham returns as the heroic Jonas, seen in the footage leaping into the air on a jet ski to face off against a shark with a sword. Are we getting into ‘Sharknado’ territory? Possibly, but that’s part of the fun.
The trailer, which was for the room only, showed off plenty of mainstays of the Willy Wonka character, including chocolate that makes one float, and a surprise: Hugh Grant as an Oompa-Loompa, which got big laughs from the crowd. Chalamet called working with Grant as a “dream come true.” He added of the Oompa-Loompa character, “it was a trip.”
Directed by ‘Paddington’s Paul King, the musical movie will sing for its supper (and more likely dessert) in theaters from December 15th.
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‘Dune: Part Two’
‘Dune Part Two’ CinemaCon 2023 Presentation and Press Line, April 25th. Photos By Eric Charbonneau.
Chalamet was back, joined by co-star Zendaya and director Denis Villeneuve on stage to show off teaser footage for the second part of Villeneuve’s giant sci-fi adaptation.
This time, we’re promised more action as Chalamet’s Paul Atreides starts his battle to avenge his murdered family and free the planet Arrakis from the cruel Harkonnens. Zendaya is back –– and actually part of the story this time –– as Chani, a warrior from the native Fremen.
The footage showed some big moments, such as Paul riding one of the native Sandworm creatures, plus new cast members such as Florence Pugh and Austin Butler, who will be Princess Irulan and the calculating sword-slinger Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen. Who hopefully doesn’t sound like Elvis Presley.
‘Dune Part Two’ CinemaCon 2023 Presentation and Press Line, April 25th. Photos By Eric Charbonneau.
‘The Nun 2’
There was horror to be found with the sequel to ‘Conjuring’ spin-off ‘The Nun’, with a first look at the new movie, directed by Michael Chaves.
As expected, it’s scary stuff, with young girls playing a dare game that soon turns terrifying. Taissa Farmiga’s Sister Irene is back to help deal with the new demonic threat. Expect freakish goat creatures, rivers of blood and lots of screaming.
Farmiga and co-star Storm Reid took the stage to talk up the film with the former explaining that Sister Irene returns because “she has a strong sense of duty”. Filming at a real abandoned church in France frightened Farmiga so much that she needed an escort to walk her around the location.
‘The Nun’ will vow to frighten audiences on September 8th.
Though James Gunn is away touring the world for ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,’ he sent a video message. Fellow DC Studios CEO Peter Safran was in person to talk up the slate.
Here’s what he said,
“Each of these films not only delivers a stunning cinematic experience that uniquely highlights our iconic DC heroes, but they also blaze a trail forward into our DC universe that we are cracking with our next chapter.”
Neither James Wan nor star Jason Momoa were on hand, though they appeared via video to introduce a new trailer for the aquatic hero’s sequel.
Wan said ‘Aquaman 2’ visits “beautiful, strange new worlds” where it explores “interesting new characters.” “It’s an action-adventure story with a really fun bromance between Arthur (Momoa) and Orm (Patrick Wilson). Orm was a villain the first time around, but this time Arthur needs him.”
As for the trailer, it finds Momoa battling Yahya Abdul Mateen II’s Black Manta –– who this time has his own Trident, and is causing big trouble for our hero, requiring the Orm assist. Oh, and Aquaman has a child now.
The movie swims to theaters on December 20th.
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‘Blue Beetle’
‘Blue Beetle’ CinemaCon 2023 Presentation and Press Line, April 25th. Photos By Eric Charbonneau.
‘Blue Beetle’ director Angel Manuel Soto and star Xolo Maridueña brought an extended trailer for the movie about a young man who becomes an unwitting superhero (at least until he embraces the powers granted him by a weird scarab).
Unlike some other heroes, Maridueña’s Jamie Reyes has a family who knows about his superhero side. “Good luck hiding something from your Latino mother,” Soto said to laughs, while Maridueña described his character as the only superhero who doesn’t seem to want his powers.
‘Blue Beetle’, heads to theaters on August 18th.
‘Blue Beetle’ CinemaCon 2023 Presentation and Press Line, April 25th. Photos By Eric Charbonneau.
A new trailer for ‘The Flash’ was shown, adding in more to the story of Barry Allen’s troubles with the multiverse.
Directed by Andy Muschietti, the superhero film finds Barry (Ezra Miller) causing problems when he uses his powers to save his parents – and breaks the universe in the process. As the trailer shows, he’ll need the help of Michael Keaton’s Batman and Sasha Calle’s Supergirl to stop a multiverse variant of ‘Man of Steel’s General Zod (Michael Shannon), who has free rein in a world where heroes don’t appear to exist.
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The trailer promises a lot of action, some quips and Keaton being cool as Bats. The whole movie premiered for the CinemaCon crowd, but most audiences will have to wait until June 16th.
James Gunn and fellow DC Studios CEO Peter Safran have been teasing for a while what we can expect from the movies, shows and video games that will form part of their planned 8-10 year reboot of the DC onscreen universe. Gunn took to twitter today to make the initial announcement, one which includes new versions of Batman, Superman, Supergirl, Green Lantern and more.
Gunn confirmed that the existing DC movies still to be released––‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ ‘The Flash’, ‘Blue Beetle’ and ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’––are all still on track for release, with the Flash outing and its universe-rebooting nature key to helping to usher in the new shows and movies.
Those films will then lead into what Gunn and Safran are calling ‘Gods and Monsters’, which is a major part (but not all) of the first “Chapter” in their plans. “The one thing that we can promise is that everything from our first project forward will be canon and will be connected,” says Gunn. “We’re using some actors from the past, we’re not using other actors from the past, but everything from that moment forward will be connected and consistent.” It’ll be a mix of TV (both animated and live action) and movies, with games tying in as needed.
Writer, director, co-chairmen and co-CEO of DC Studios, James Gunn. Photo courtesy of James Gunn’s Twitter account.
“DC has had great individual movies over the years, but we think that what the audience really appreciates and needs is a connected universe,” adds Safran. “It minimizes audience confusion and it maximizes their connectivity to it across all the platforms.”
Gunn talked up 10 initial titles. For TV, first up will be the animated ‘Creature Commandos’, which looks to include the likes of Weasel (as seen in Gunn’s move ‘The Suicide Squad’). Gunn has written the first batch of episodes and the plan is for characters to cross between animated and live-action, and for the same actor to both voice and play the role where possible.
There was also confirmation of ‘Peacemaker’ spin-off series ‘Waller’, with Viola Davis reprising her role as the tough wrangler of Task Force X, interacting with some characters from ‘Peacemaker’ (and one from ‘Creature Commandos’). That show will be overseen by Christal Henry, who was a writer on the TV’s ‘Watchmen,’ and Jeremy Carver who created ‘Doom Patrol’. The series will sit between the first and second seasons of ‘Peacemaker’.
Viola Davis as Amanda Waller in 2016’s ‘Suicide Squad.’
Those are what Gunn is calling an amuse bouche for the main DCU launch, which will officially start via one of DC’s heavy hitters: Superman. ‘Superman: Legacy’. As he’s previously said, Gunn is writing the new take on the hero, and there is the hope he’ll also direct (though that hasn’t been confirmed yet). And it has a locked in release date of July 11th, 2025. “With our stories, we want to take it away from good guy vs. bad guy,” Gunn says. “There are really good—almost saintly—people and Superman is among them. There are really terrible villains like Gorilla Grodd or the Joker. And then there’s everybody in between them, so there are all these shades of gray which allow us to tell complex stories.”
That will be followed by ‘Lanterns’, which is the latest iteration of the series that has been in development at HBO Max for a while now. It’ll be an Earth-set series featuring Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart (with others popping up) and is described as ‘True Detective’ with a “terrifying mystery” that ties into the wider universe.
On the movie front again, ‘The Authority’ will utilize characters from the WildStorm Comics Imprint that DC bought. Says Gunn, “It’s a very different kind of superhero story. They are basically good-intentioned, but they think that the world is completely broken and the only way to fix it is to take things into their own hands, whether that means killing people, destroying heads of state, changing governments—basically, whatever they want to do to make the world better. We’ll see how that journey goes for them.”
Wonder Woman fans are getting ‘Paradise Lost,’ a show set on Themyscira, the birthplace of Princess Diana, and described as ‘Game Of Thrones’ with the Amazons. “It’s an origin story of how this society of women came about. What does it mean? What are their politics like? What are their rules? Who’s in charge? What are the games that they play with each other to get to the top?,” Gunn enthuses. “I think it’s really exciting.” It’s set before Diana is born.
DC Comics’ Damian Wayne/Robin. Photo courtesy of DC.com.
Batman will be all new in the main DCU via movie ‘The Brave And The Bold’, adapting Grant Morrison‘s run, and featuring yet another Bruce Wayne who tries to keep his son, Damien Wayne, in line as Robin. This will launch the “Bat-family” into the movie universe.
‘Booster Gold’ is touted as an HBO series. “I think of it as basically the story of a superhero’s imposter syndrome,” says Gunn. “How do you deal with that? It follows how he tries to use this future technology to be loved by the people of today and what is really at the base of that. It’s a character story that’s going to be a very different type of show, and we’re talking to an actor about it now.”
‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ will be a big-scale sci-fi film based on Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s comic run. It features a “darker, harsher” version of Kara Zor-El raised on a surviving chunk of Krypton who sees everyone around her die.
DC Comics’ Supergirl from writer Tom King’s ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.’ Photo courtesy of DC.com.
Finally, a new ‘Swamp Thing’ movie will be a horror-inflected origin story for the creature, one that still intersects with the rest of the DCU.
What, then, does all this mean for the likes of Matt Reeves’ ‘Batman‘ or Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker’ sequel? They will fall under the umbrella title ‘Elseworlds’. “The bar for an Elseworlds tale is going to be higher than the bar for a movie within the DCU,” says Gunn. “Not that we’re not always going to have a high bar, but it’s got to be something really special for us to tell that story outside of our regular continuity and to spend the money to make it.”
“We are actually developing a few other things as well, but for one reason or another, we can’t say them,” Gunn concludes. This is the first batch of stuff, but there may be a couple of surprises to come.”
It’s certainly an ambitious plan. Now we wait and see whether it truly comes to fruition––as previous DC regimes have made bold statements, but haven’t always lasted to see their ideas realized…
DC Comics’ Booster Gold. Photo courtesy of DC.com.
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