DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has referred to Jaime Reyes as the "first DCU character," which would obviously suggest that Xolo Maridueña will return as the Scarab-powered hero at some point. But is Reyes' DCU future set-up in this movie at all?
Major spoilers follow.
The short answer is... not exactly!
While the movie does certainly tease a potential sequel, there are no direct nods or references to Gunn and Peter Safran's shared universe. Batman, Superman and the Flash do get mentions, however, as do both original Blue Beetles Dan Garrett and Ted Kord, with the latter's return hinted at in the first post-credits scene.
At one point, Ted’s daughter Jenny (Bruna Marquezine) takes Jaime and his Uncle Rudy (George Lopez) to her father's headquarters to learn more about the Scarab and other alien tech he was experimenting on around the time he went missing. Then, in the stinger, we return to Ted’s base, where the computer turns on by itself. We then hear a message from Ted come through (possibly from an alternate dimension?).
We don't actually see his face, but he makes it clear that he is Ted Kord, and asks that if anyone can hear his voice that they let his daughter know that he's alive.
Unfortunately, this is unlikely to go anywhere. Even if Blue Beetle does get a solo sequel, we can't see Gunn and Safran being beholden to anything this first film sets-up.
The second post-credits scene is an animated sequence spotlighting Mexico's most famous superhero, El Chapulín Colorado. As far as we can tell, it has nothing to do with the DCU and is simply a little nod to Latino culture.
Will you be seeing Blue Beetle this weekend?
"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," reads the synopsis. "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 armour capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Super Hero Blue Beetle."
The cast also includes Bruna Marquezine, Belissa Escobedo, Adriana Barraza, Elpidia Carrillo, Damián Alcázar, and Raoul Max Trujillo.
Blue Beetle is set to be released in theaters on August 18, 2023.