As the Blue Beetle movie continues to prepare for its forthcoming production start, Warner Bros. Pictures has welcomed the addition of four new cast members, who will complete the DC Film’s Reyes family.
The Wrap brings word that George Lopez (The Spy Next Door), Adrianna Barraza (Babel), Elpidia Carrillo (Predator), and Damián Alcázar (Narcos) have officially signed on to join Xolo Maridueña in the live-action superhero film. They are set to play the Mexican American family of Maridueña’s Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle, with Lopez as Uncle Rudy, Barraza as Nana, Carillo as Rocio, and Alcázar as Alberto.
“Initially, my goal with finding the family was to be able to have an authentic group of people, not just as authentic on the Latino side, but authentic on the accents and authentic on the experience overall, it was very important for me to have the elders in the family to be from Mexico,” Soto said in a statement. “And more than just being from Mexico is honoring those amazing beloved actors from Mexico that have paved the way not just in Latin American cinema, but also crossing over to the Anglo Saxon community and Latin American community in the United States.
“And then you have somebody on the younger side, the new blood that’s coming in, like Belissa and Xolo, they’re Mexican American, and tying them with the guys that came before which have a strong history of being born in Mexico and then coming over to the US. Being able to provide a Mexican family, a brown Mexican family, that embraces that level of authenticity, I think this cast allowed us to have all of that.”
RELATED: HBO Max’s Wonder Twins Sets Director for Live-Action DC Film
The Blue Beetle movie will be led by will be directed by Angel Manuel Soto (Charm City Kings) from a screenplay adapted by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer (Miss Bala). Cobra Kai breakout Xolo Maridueña stars in Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Films’ first stand-alone Latino-led superhero movie as Mexican American teenager, Jaime Reyes.
Joining Maridueña are Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows), Brazilian star Bruna Marquezine (Breaking Through) as Penny, and Belissa Escobedo (Sex Appeal, Hocus Pocus 2) as Milagro Reyes.
Originally set as an HBO Max original film, Blue Beetle is now scheduled for an exclusive theatrical release on August 18, 2023. It will be executive produced by Zev Foreman of Warner Bros. with John Rickard set as a producer.
RELATED: Batgirl Set Videos Tease Brendan Fraser’s Firefly Suit
In the comics, Jaime Reyes was the third character in the comics to take on the mantle of the Blue Beetle following Dan Garret and Ted Kord. His powers came from a Blue Beetle scarab that grafted itself to the base of Jaime’s spine, allowing him to have a suit of extraterrestrial armor that can be modified to enhance his speed and strength, as well as create weapons, wings, and shields.
