Earlier this month, we learned that Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios are plotting a new Blue Beetle animated TV series. It's already in development, with Miguel Puga (The Casagrandes) said to have started work on the project earlier this year.
He'll serve as showrunner, while Cristian Martinez (Women of the Movement) is writing the series. Angel Manuel Soto and Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, director and screenwriter of the 2023 movie, respectively, are going to executive produce alongside John Ricard. Galen Vaisman, another Blue Beetle executive producer, is overseeing the series for DC Studios.
Jaime Reyes actor Xolo Maridueña is set to reprise his role alongside other actors who starred in the Blue Beetle movie. However, there are conflicting reports about whether it's a continuation of that or a soft reboot which can bring Jaime into the DCU without any DCEU baggage.
During a recent edition of his podcast, Maridueña broke his silence on the upcoming animated series, though seemed largely in the dark when it comes to the direction it's heading in.
"Wowza, Blue Beetle is back! I'm so excited," the actor enthused. "To get to do the...I think there is an opportunity on each platform to really make something shine, right? In the movie, you had the opportunity to do the movie stuff. In a TV show, you have the chance to do long-format stuff."
"In an animated show...the f***ing fact this kid likes anime and can make whatever freaking weapon he wants and has this suit that lights up...if they do the suit right in animated, I wonder if it's going to look exactly like the movie suit did or if it's going to, depending on what the art style, if it's going to look a little bit different [or the same] for branding and all that."
When Maridueña's co-host wondered whether Blue Beetle could lean into Jaime's love of anime with an animation style which pays homage to that genre, he replied, "I hope so...if this is a continuation."
Elsewhere in the podcast, Maridueña shared some of the TV shows and video games (including Final Fantasy) that he'd like to see inspire Blue Beetle's fighting style moving forward.
DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has already confirmed there are plans for Xolo Maridueña's Jaime Reyes in the new DCU and this sequel "could potentially lead to a return to the big screen," according to previous reports.
It's unclear whether that would be in another solo outing as the Blue Beetle movie made only $130.8 million worldwide on a reported $104 million - $125 million budget. In a tough year for the DCEU, it performed better than expected and has a solid 78% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
You can hear more from Maridueña in the player below.