DC’s Blue Beetle Star Reacts To Going From Cobra Kai To Superhero Movie

DC’s Blue Beetle star Xolo Maridueña talks about his switch from Cobra Kai to the leading superhero in a DC film. Blue Beetle’s release date has been set for 2023, making it the second movie from the DCEU to be released that year, with the other being Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Maridueña will play Jamie Reyes, a Latino teenager who accidentally exposes himself to a living weapon called the Scarab, which attaches to him and gives him abilities such as flight and metamorphosis. Reyes is the third version of the DC superhero, taking over Ted Kord, who took over the first Blue Beetle Dan Garrett.

Maridueña’s casting is no surprise, with the talented actor making his acting debut back in 2012, starring in Parenthood. He played Victor Graham, initially a guest star, before becoming a main character later. Maridueña’s big break came with the incredibly popular Cobra Kai series, originally a YouTube Red series before Netflix added the show on their platform. He stars as Miguel Diaz, one of the show’s strongest fighters, after debuting in the show’s very first episode, transforming from a nerdy teenager to one of the show’s most important characters.

In a recent interview with USA Today, Maridueña talked about his upcoming role as the DC superhero and the latest season of Cobra Kai. Maridueña opened up about how quickly the shift from starring on the small-screen series to eventually landing the lead in a superhero film. He also emphasizes the importance of Latino representation, as Blue Beetle will be DC’s first Latino superhero movie.

“Honestly, it feels like I’ve skipped a few steppingstones. Cobra Kai has been such a wonderful opportunity, (and) it feels a little bit intimidating being this is my first movie and it’s in a realm that’s totally different than anything I’ve ever worked on. I’m nervous, but I’m excited. It’s gonna be important, not only for Latinos and to see people of colour, brown people, represented onscreen, but also show a story that we haven’t really seen before.”

Maridueña also revealed his suit-fitting tests, saying that he hopes to get “more buff by the time” they start filming. At the end of the recent season of Cobra Kai, fans were shocked by Miguel’s decision to leave his home after injuring himself in the All-Valley Karate Tournament. Miguel decided to leave home as he wanted to find his birth father. Fans feared that his decision meant that the character would be written off, especially with Maridueña’s involvement with Blue Beetle. However, season five of Cobra Kai has already been filmed, with Miguel being part of the action.

Blue Beetle is set to be released on August the 18th of 2023. The exciting project will be directed by Angel Manuel Soto, who recently directed Charm City Kings in 2020. The film will no longer be released on HBO Max and will be hitting theatres. It is an exciting time to be a DC fan, with films such as Black Adam, Flash, The Batman, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom coming out next year.

Source: USA Today