'Blue Beetle' Animated Series In Development For New DC Universe
'Blue Beetle' Animated Series In Development For New DC Universe
'The Casagrandes' executive producer Miguel Puga is leading the charge to bring the scarab-bearing hero from the DCEU into the DCU
It’s time to Reyes the stakes of the DC Universe. Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios have a Blue Beetle animated series in development. The new animated series is reportedly built from the DCEU iteration of Jaime Reyes played by Xolo Maridueña introduced in last summer’s theatrical film, but following through on a promise DC Studios co-CEO and architect of the new universe James Gunn made repeatedly stating he would be brought into the new DC Universe.
Miguel Puga, director and co-executive producer of The Casagrandes and director of its movie, has been working on the project since early this year serving as the showrunner and director with Good Trouble’s Cristian Martinez writing. While the corporate parties involved declined to comment, Puga was more than happy to quote ToonHive’s tweet about the news with “I guess the Scarab is out of the bag!” and a small handful of related hashtags.
Angel Manuel Soto and Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, who directed and wrote the film respectively, executive produce alongside John Rikard who had been an EP on the film too. Galen Vaisman, who was one of the other executive producers on the film, will oversee the series for DC Studios. As far as cast, it seems they’re trying to get everyone back. No implications of recast have been made. Multiple of the stars have been approached and the company has received a positive response regarding returns. The animated series will build on the movie and continue the story. The hope is this project’s success will lead to a second big screen outing for Maridueña. For a refresher on the other names that will hopefully be heard from with the good news, we have Bruna Marzequine as his girlfriend Jenny Kord, Belissa Escobedo as sister Milagro, George Lopez as uncle Rudy, Adrianna Barraza as his Nana, Elpidia Carrillo as mom Rocio, and Becky G as the voice of Khaji-Da, a sentient entity that imbues and controls the Scarab.
In the film, Jaime was a recent college graduate returning home optimistic with aspirations for his future. However, home is not quite as he left it. His family is having money problems severe enough to face eviction. As he searches for purpose, his sister brings him an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. When the Scarab chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, it painfully transforms him for compatibility with an armored and powered suit, turning him into the Blue Beetle, and the third to carry that mantle. His predecessor Ted Kord’s sister Victoria (played by Susan Sarandon) was hellbent on getting the scarab back for her own selfish needs.
The new DC Universe was known to be largely a reboot that carried few elements of the previous DCEU. Its first chapter, “Gods and Monsters”, seemed focused on giving priority to reconfiguring Gunn’s The Suicide Squad-related elements by having the animated series Creature Commandos, the second season of Peacemaker, and the Waller spinoff present within. It also set up the new Superman with his 2025 movie, Batman with Brave and the Bold, and a history for the Themyscirans before figuring out what to do with the other solo heroes like Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Shazam, and yes, Blue Beetle. So far, Creature Commandos had been the only animated series announced in a slate that had already grown with one announced live action Teen Titans film and the incorporation of Matt Reeves’s Arkham Asylum series. To have animation increase its share of contribution to the universe and show it’s not an afterthought is a very welcome sight.
Source: Deadline, Miguel Puga