Blue Beetle star Xolo Maridueña is among the many actors who will appear in next summer's Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow. The actor made his DCEU debut in 2023, and his planned return has been a cause of celebration for many DC Comics fans.
In a red carpet interview for Practical Magic 2, Maridueña admitted that he believed his time as Jaime Reyes had ended before receiving a surprise call from DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn.
"I was in Japan with my friends; nobody knew anything," the actor recalled. "And I just see, like the Bat-phone, my phone rings [and it's] James Gunn. All my friends look at me, and I had to leave the room. I came back, and I was like, 'Off the record, don’t tell anyone, but we're coming back,' and I’m so excited for people to see where Blue Beetle ends up."
Maridueña went on to say that he's been "humbled" by the opportunity to reprise his role in the new DCU. While he played coy about whether he's suited up yet, we know that he was spotted on set as Blue Beetle and that Man of Tomorrow has since wrapped filming.
"There's never a guarantee with anything, bro," he continued. "I mean, you know this, stuff flips on a dime, and I know that it's not always like a merit-based system. So there's so much that’s out of my control, but I am just the most humbled of James and the greater DC team for folding us in, Indiana Jones style."
The Blue Beetle movie was released in 2023, but it hit theaters at a time when moviegoers had largely given up on the DCEU. Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom all underperformed at the box office, and Blue Beetle similarly struggled to make an impact, grossing only $130.8 million worldwide.
However, it received positive reviews from fans and critics, and DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn later hinted that he considers Blue Beetle part of the new DCU. Despite conflicting reports about whether it's still moving forward, an animated series featuring the character reportedly remains in the works.
Jaime Reyes' presence in Man of Tomorrow makes sense because of the hero's affiliation with the Justice League International. That team is clearly the basis for the DCU's Justice Gang, and Blue Beetle joining the team's ranks would be a great way to put him back in the spotlight.
In Man of Tomorrow, Superman will be forced to team up with Lex Luthor to battle Brainiac, a threat not just to Metropolis but to the entire world.
Written and directed by James Gunn, the movie stars include David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Lars Eidinger as Brainiac, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag, Sr., Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, and Milly Alcock as Supergirl.
Andre Royo, Matthew Lillard, Sinqua Walls, and Adria Arjona will also star. However, as we mentioned above, we still don't know whether the latter is playing Maxima or Wonder Woman. There's also speculation that Eva De Dominici is playing one of the characters, and there's always a chance the Diana Prince rumblings don't pan out. We'll have to wait and see.
Man of Tomorrow arrives in theaters on July 9, 2027.