Blue Beetle (film)

Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Films were developing a film based on Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle by the end of November 2018, with Mexican-born Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer writing the screenplay. Zev Foreman was executive producing the project for Warner Bros., which was set to be the first DC Extended Universe (DCEU) film starring a Latino lead.[9] By December 2020, DC Films was planning to release several mid-budget films a year exclusively on the streaming service HBO Max, rather than in theaters, as part of new DC Films president Walter Hamada's plan for the DCEU,[10] with Blue Beetle listed as one such project in 2021.[11] Puerto Rican Angel Manuel Soto was hired to direct the film in February 2021.[12] In April, Blue Beetle was included on DC's slate of films that were expected to be released in 2022 or 2023.[13] John Rickard, the president of production at the Safran Company, was producing the film for HBO Max by that August,[14][15] when filming was expected to begin in early 2022.[3] In December 2021, Warner Bros. revealed that the film would be receiving a theatrical release in August 2023 instead of being produced directly for HBO Max.[16] In mid-April 2022, Soto and cinematographer Pawel Pogorzelski visited El Paso, Texas, to meet with local artists, muralists, musicians, and historians to understand the feel of the city.[17] Peter Safran was reported to be a producer that October,[15] before he became the co-chairman and co-CEO of DC Studios alongside James Gunn later that month;[18] Rickard and Foreman were credited as the producers.[1] Craig Alpert serves as the film's editor.[1]

In October 2021, Soto said Dunnet-Alcocer's script featured "the Latino family at its core",[19] while star Xolo Maridueña said in August 2022 that the family aspect of the film and character were "inherent to the comics" and felt had not been explored as much with other superhero films.[20] Fellow star Susan Sarandon revealed the following month that the film would have several scenes spoken in Spanish, with subtitles being provided.[21] The final writing credits were given to Dunnet-Alcocer, with off-screen additional literary credit given to Gary Dauberman.[22]

The film is set in the fictional Palmera City, which was an original creation for the film, rather than El Paso as is featured in the comics.[23] Soto said this was to create a world specific to Jaime Reyes on a similar level to Metropolis for Superman and Gotham City for Batman, and to help position the character as "a potential leader" in the new DC-based franchise the DC Universe (DCU). Inspiration for the film came from the video game Injustice 2 (2017) and the comic book storyline "Infinite Crisis" (2005–2006), in which Jaime Reyes debuted, while the comic book miniseries Blue Beetle: Graduation Day (2022–present) incorporated elements from the film.[24]

Xolo Maridueña was Soto's first choice to portray Reyes, with Soto explaining that he "couldn't stop seeing [Maridueña] as the character" since he was hired to direct the film.[3] Soto and Warner Bros. offered the role to Maridueña on August 1, 2021,[25] he was publicly revealed to be in talks for the film the next day,[2] and his casting was officially confirmed later that day at the premiere for the DCEU film The Suicide Squad.[3][25] When learning of the role, Maridueña was most excited that Reyes is a Latino character and he could bring Latino representation to a superhero project.[3]

In early March, Bruna Marquezine was cast as Reyes's love interest, Jenny Kord,[5][1] with Belissa Escobedo playing Reyes's sister Milagros,[5] and Harvey Guillén cast as Dr. Sanchez.[5][1] Later that month, the rest of Reyes's family was cast: George Lopez as uncle Rudy, Adriana Barraza as Nana, Elpidia Carrillo as Rocio, and Damián Alcázar as Alberto. Soto said he wanted to create an authentic Mexican family with real accents and experiences, and also wanted the elder members of the family to be portrayed by "beloved" Mexican actors from Latin American cinema who had also crossed over to United States cinema and paved the way for members of the younger generation, such as Maridueña and Escobedo.[4] By the end of March, Sharon Stone was in talks to play the villain Victoria Kord, an original creation for the film which was believed to be the wife of Ted Kord, the second Blue Beetle in the comics.[26] Raoul Trujillo also joined the cast then as Carapax the Indestructible Man.[6] In mid-April, Susan Sarandon was cast as Victoria Kord after negotiations with Stone ended.[7]

Principal photography began by May 25, 2022,[27] taking place in the Atlanta metropolitan area, primarily at Wilder Studios in Decatur, Georgia,[28] using the working title Mofongo.[29] Pawel Pogorzelski served as the cinematographer.[17] Filming also occurred in El Paso and Puerto Rico.[30] Sarandon completed filming her scenes by the end of June,[31] and Trujillo said in early July that filming was almost complete.[30] Filming wrapped on July 18 in Puerto Rico.[32]

Bobby Krlic was confirmed to score the film by the trailer's release in April 2023.[33]