The DC film universe is finally set to see Jamie Reyes grace the screen as the teenage sensation, The Blue Beetle. Thanks to Warners Bros, MKAU had an exclusive sneak peek at the first official trailer for the new film directed by Angel Manuel Soto. Headlining Xolo Mariduena, both director and main actor are taking a vast leap forward with their careers and making the dreams come true for the fans that have long awaited a big screen debut of The Blue Beetle.

The first note-worthy highlight from the trailer is the decision to stick with the current iteration of Jamie Reyes to be the host of Kjahji Da. The origins of the Scarab, which contains the powers of the suit, are indeed extra-terrestrial and will be the bridge to bring in actress Bruna Marquenzine, who is playing Jenny Kord, a very interesting last name if I say so myself.

I was thoroughly impressed by the artistic decisions that went into the look and feel of the trailer and the overall theme of the film. The later iterations of The Blue Beetle’s suit in comic books and cartoons have maintained a similar style, with dark form fittings lining and the outer casing of the scarab wrapping around the body being a more vivid blue. The real-life version has carried over this same style as faithfully as it can, with a darker navy-blue base, with the upper body and lower legs having a brighter shade of blue to really help it stand out.

There was more than the stock standard colour palette on display, with the glowing effects of the armour that could pierce the darkness and make his character an imposing figure, and they were also able to bring a certain degree of the comic-style display into the fold with the Heads-Up Display. While he was flying through the city, a vibrant and colourful interface would swirl around his vision to highlight threats, places, and people in a clear and easy manner to follow.

The suit having a mind of its own really rammed home that Jamie was just being dragged along for the ride at first, and his family, seeing it firsthand, means they will be as much involved in the storytelling as Jamie. There was more than one humour injection to the trailer, especially when it came to creating his weaponry from his imagination, so I am hopeful that they allow the playful nature of Jamie to shine through without taking away from the more stern, heroic moments that they have set up for us to enjoy.

With a mid-August release in mind and 2023 already on a role, it won’t be long before we get to see where this origin story will take us, and I am excited to see The Blue Beetle get the recognition he truly deserves for his film debut.

Written by: Shane Fletcher