Xolo Mariduena is officially returning as Jaime Reyes, aka Blue Beetle. His comeback in the DCU’s Man of Tomorrow transforms a nostalgic behind-the-scenes post into a powerful statement about legacy.
Xolo Mariduena says it’s the perfect time to rewatch Blue Beetle
Mariduena got fans excited after sharing a carousel of unseen photos from the 2023 film Blue Beetle on Instagram. The timing, coming right after confirmation that he will appear in the Superman sequel, gave the post a deeper resonance. “Seems like as good a time as ever to check out Blue Beetle (2023) if you haven’t!” Mariduena wrote. “This character was/continues to be the most gratifying experience. Shoutout Ángel, shout out DC, shout out our crew, and the BlueBeetleBattalion. Some BTS I’ll never get over.”
The photos chronicle the actor’s journey from a Puerto Rico set to a towering Times Square billboard. One image shows Nana Reyes in a scene giving him Vicks. In a reference to that, he wrote, “Nana is sending healing thoughts!!!. There’s another with Belissa Escobedo, who played Milagro Reyes. “You may now kiss the bride…till death do us part,” he quipped about that picture.
He also praised director Angel Manuel Soto’s cinematic references, singling out a spirit realm sequence with co-star Damian Alcazar. “Ángel perfectly paid homage + referenced some of our favorite films,” he noted. The gallery ends with a full-circle moment: Maridueña posing beneath his character’s massive display at Times Square, captioned, “CONCRETE JUNGLE WHERE DREAMS ARE MADE OF.”
Xolo Mariduena’s nostalgic look back at Blue Beetle arrives as production ramps up on Man of Tomorrow, directed by James Gunn. The sequel pits David Corenswet’s Superman against Brainiac, forcing an uneasy alliance with Lex Luthor. Gunn had long earmarked Maridueña as the DCU’s foundational hero. “The first DCU character, for sure, Blue Beetle, and the first full DCU movie is ‘Superman,’” Gunn previously stated (via Variety).
Now, with Man of Tomorrow set for a July 9, 2027, release, the actor’s old promise carries new weight: “If we get to do another one, I’m so ready — and shit, I’ll put on another 20 pounds and get even bigger.”
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on SuperHeroHype.
