Entertainment
Star Of Huge DCEU Bomb To Appear In Superman: The Man Of Tomorrow
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
So far, it seems that James Gunn has a very complicated relationship with the failed DCEU. On paper, it’s his job to create his own cinematic universe (the DCU) that avoids all the major mistakes of its predecessor. Because of this, it’s in the director’s best interest to distance his DCU from the DCEU however and whenever he can. Nonetheless, Gunn can’t stop creating connections between these universes, from connecting Peacemaker to The Suicide Squad to casting Aquaman actor Jason Momoa as Lobo. Now, he’s one-upping himself in the loudest possible way by putting a very obscure star of a failed DCEU film into his next blockbuster film.
Xolo Maridueña starred as the titular hero of Blue Beetle, a 2023 DCEU film. When the movie came out, it was generally well-liked: it had a 78 percent on Rotten Tomatoes from the critics and a whopping 90 percent from the fans. However, not that many fans actually saw the movie, and it became one of multiple DCEU projects to actually lose Warner Bros. money. Because of that, it seemed like we’d never see this hero (or at least, this version) on the big screen again. Nonetheless, Gunn is bringing back Maridueña’s Blue Beetle for his upcoming sequel Superman: The Man of Tomorrow.
Meet The Beetle
This news comes to us courtesy of Deadline, which heard about it from insiders who are close to Gunn’s Superman sequel. This is obviously big news for Xolo Maridueña, who seemed like he’d never reprise this role again. Neither Gunn nor Warner Bros. has commented on the matter. However, Deadline’s report indicates that one or both of these entities are fond enough of the actor to bring him over to the DCU. How will he fit into this new cinematic universe, though? Chances are that, like Peacemaker before him, Blue Beetle will simply be a DCU version of his familiar self, complete with a very similar backstory.
While fans of Blue Beetle will be happy to see the hero onscreen again, it’s not clear how much of a role he will have. Right now, Superman: The Man of Tomorrow is very crowded with both heroes (including Superman, Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, and Mr. Terrific) and villains (including Lex Luthor, Brainiac, and newcomer Maxima). Because of this, some have claimed the sequel feels more like a Justice League movie than a Superman sequel. That’s good news for anyone who enjoyed watching the Man of Steel and his Superfriends kick butt in the previous movie. However, the sheer number of characters appearing in this film may cut into Blue Beetle’s overall screentime.
Avoiding The Sequel Blues
However, having a large roster of heroes is only appropriate for Superman: The Man of Tomorrow because the Big Bad is Brainiac, and he represents a threat to the entire planet. It would only make sense that Superman has to rally as many allies as possible in the fight against an existential threat to all of humanity. It’s also possible that Gunn will be using this Superman sequel to lay the in-universe groundwork for an eventual Justice League team. After all, an individual hero may be enough to save the city most of the time. But when it comes to saving the entire world, even Superman can’t be everywhere at once.
Speaking of possibilities, James Gunn might eventually give Blue Beetle his own spinoff movie or series. This would help the DCU win over younger audiences, and it would fit Gunn’s recent MO of shining a spotlight on the more obscure characters within this colorful universe. We won’t know exactly what will happen to this former DCEU character until we see him on the big screen again. So, mark your calendars, fanboys: Superman: The Man of Tomorrow flies into theaters on July 9, 2027. Its titular hero may be more powerful than a speeding locomotive, but only time will tell if he’s more powerful than something much stronger than a train: superhero fatigue.