Blue Beetle Star Xolo Maridueña Would Be 'Super Excited' If James Gunn Incorporates The Hero Into The New DCU

With the "Blue Beetle" trailer officially out in the world, we have a pretty decent look at DC's latest attempt to bring a new, somewhat lesser-known superhero to the big screen. The question right now is: will this be a one-and-done? Or is this going to be the start of a new franchise that will be part of the new DC Universe? At the very least, star Xolo Maridueña hopes to be a part of that future.

The "Cobra Kai" actor is on board in the lead role in the film, which was developed under the old guard at DC before James Gun and Peter Safran took over as the co-heads of DC Studios. They have a big plan in place for the future, and it largely seems like it's going to be a reboot, ditching nearly everything from the so-called Snyderverse.

Speaking at a "Blue Beetle" trailer launch event attended by /Film's own Jenna Busch, Maridueña addressed the possibility of being brought into the new DC Universe. He said:

"There's always room for — especially as we kind of are changing, maybe, what the vision looks like for the future of DC. I think to your point, Blue Beetle has the potential to be a great catapult for this new vision. And I think that it's been the point that it's stood alone since the beginning. It's not something that we've had to remove ourselves from the greater universe. It's always naturally, inherently, felt like it stands alone. And if they want to incorporate it with the rest of the universe, I'd be super excited. But at the end of the day, getting the doors open for all of the tremendous people in front of and behind the camera, that's what's [important]."

Directed by Angel Manuel Soto ("Charm City Kings"), "Blue Beetle" does seem to have the added benefit of not being tied to anything in the DC Extended Universe that Warner Bros. is looking to move on from, despite being developed as a part of that universe. One thing worth pointing out is that it seems like the studio has a great deal of confidence in what they have, as the film was originally developed for HBO Max and was shifted to a theatrical release. On the flip side, the "Batgirl" movie was outright canceled despite being completely filmed. The indication is that Soto made a good film here.

That being the case, it does at least seem feasible that this character could be folded into the new DCU. And, as it just so happens, James Gunn has even said as much. When he and Peter Safran were unveiling the first wave of DC movies and TV shows they have coming our way, Gunn straight-up said that Blue Beetle can absolutely be part of the DCU:

"I think that we've gotten lucky with the next four movies, frankly, because we have 'Shazam!,' which leads into '[The] Flash,' which resets everything. Which then goes to 'Blue Beetle,' which is totally disconnected, he can totally be a part of the DCU."

So, what would prevent this character from joining the new DCU? It probably all comes down to how the audience receives the film. If it does gangbusters business at the box office and debuts to great reviews, it seems hard to imagine this will be a one-and-done. If it flops and doesn't find critical acclaim? It's likely a different story. We'll see where the chips fall this summer.

"Blue Beetle" is set to hit theaters on August 18, 2023.