Good news for Blue Beetle fans, as the DC Comics superhero is set to make his feature debut on the big screen, and not on HBO Max as originally planned!
Blue Beetle was being developed for the streaming service along with Batgirl (no updates on the status of that project), but reports are now coming in that Warner Bros. has decided to debut the movie exclusively in theaters on August 18, 2023.
Directed by Angel Manuel Soto, the film will star Cobra Kai actor Xolo Maridueña in the lead role as Jaime Reyes, who was introduced back in 2006's Infinite Crisis. The Mexican-American teen was actually the third character to take up the mantle of Blue Beetle after after Dan Garret and Ted Kord - although he's arguably eclipsed both in popularity since.
Though some purists probably would have preferred to see Kord introduced first, this is a smart move by WB. Tom Holland's teenage take on Spider-Man has been a huge success for Marvel, after all, and the DC Films Universe doesn't currently have a character that will appeal more to a slightly younger demographic on its roster.
We recently got a first look at Reyes' comic-accurate costume via some concept art, which you can check out here.