It’s been slow going for Warner Bros.’ Blue Beetle movie, announced way back in 2018 and recently confirmed to be an HBO Max exclusive. As the first major superhero film featuring a Latino lead character, there are a lot of eyes on this one to make sure it’s done right. And now today comes word that Cobra Kai breakout Xolo Maridueña is in talks to star as Jaime Reyes.
The news comes from The Wrap, who don’t have a lot more to add at this point. Maridueña would take on the role of Mexican-American teen Jaime Reyes, the third person to don the Blue Beetle suit following longtime hero Ted Kord.
Charm City Kings director Angel Manuel Soto will take the camera, working from a script by Mexican writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer.
There have been other Latino heroes in the DCEU, but always in group settings. Sasha Calle was recently cast to play Supergirl in The Flash, and Rosie Perez was Renee Montoya in Birds of Prey. Not to mention Jay Hernandez played El Diablo in the 2016 Suicide Squad. Most recently, Dominican In the Heights actress Leslie Grace was cast to star in Batgirl, which will also be exclusive to HBO Max.
Maridueña has starred as Miguel Diaz in all three seasons of Netflix’s Cobra Kai, and also had a featured role on the series Parenthood. Blue Beetle would be his first big feature film role, and it’s a pretty good way to start.
