‘Blue Beetle’ Animated Series In Works As DC Plots Next Chapter For Superhero Franchise
EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios are looking to continue telling Blue Beetle stories via an animated series currently in development, sources close to production tell Deadline. Miguel Puga (The Casagrandes) has been working on the project since early this year and will serve as the project’s showrunner and director with Cristian Martinez (Women of the Movement, Good Trouble) set as writer.
Angel Manuel Soto and Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, director and screenwriter of the 2023 film, respectively, will executive produce alongside John Rikard who served in the same capacity on the film. Galen Vaisman, who was an EP on the film, will oversee the animated TV series for DC Studios.
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D.C. Studios and Warner Bros. Animation declined to comment for this story.
Many things are still in flux including contracts for any main cast, however, multiple have been approached and DC has received a positive response regarding returns. Deadline understands the animated series will build on the movie, developed under DC Studios’ previous regime, but will divert from telling the same story. Instead, the show will create its own story which, in success, could potentially lead to a return to the big screen for the giant blue bug portrayed by Xolo Maridueña, I hear.
The Blue Beetle film focused on the third character to play the titular superhero in the comics, Jaime Reyes, a popular El Paso teen. Created by Charles Wojtkowski for Fox Comics in 1939, Jaime first appeared in comic books in the high-tech alien armor in 2006.
Maridueña’s Blue Beetle is shown as a recent college graduate who returns home to figure out what he wants to do with his life. While taking a job alongside his younger sister Milagro (Belissa Escobedo), he disagrees with Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon), of the infamous Kord Industries, while defending Victoria’s beautiful niece, Jenny (Bruna Marquezine).
The Kord family drama blows up after Jaime, unknowingly, finds himself holding an alien scarab that has the power to turn special holders into Blue Beetle. It’s very rare for he who possesses the scarab to turn into the superhero, but it miraculously works for Jaime, thus, ruining Kord Industries’ plans for world domination. The film follows Jaime’s adventures from unemployed Pre-Law graduate with no prospects, to giving Kord the battle of a lifetime.
Blue Beetle also stars George Lopez, Adrianna Barraza, Damián Alcázar, Elpidia Carrillo, Harvey Guillén, Raoul Trujillo and Becky G as the voice Khaji-Da, the voice behind Jaime’s Blue Beetle suit.
Martinez is repped by Gersh and attorney Kim Stenton at Myman Greenspan.
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