Blue Beetle Director Interview: Angel Manuel Soto on Making the First Latino Superhero Story
105The first superhero feature debut in James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe belongs to director Angel Manuel Soto’s Blue Beetle. Following an early screening, Collider’s Steve Weintraub had the opportunity to sit down with the filmmaker to discuss finally bringing this DC hero to the big screen after talks of going straight to streaming prior to production. Starring Xolo Maridueña (Cobra Kai) as Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle, Blue Beetle marks the first time a Latin superhero takes the lead in a feature, and Soto’s film is going to put Palmera City on the DCU map!
When Jaime Reyes returns home a college grad, his future feels full of potential, but his homecoming isn’t quite what Jaime expected. While seeking out job opportunities, a peculiar biotechnology is bestowed upon him, and the alien scarab known as Kahji-Da (voiced by Becky G) chooses Jaime as its symbiotic host, granting him the powers of the Blue Beetle. Like the superheroes before him, Jaime Reyes’ connection to his family is a crucial aspect of his character, but unlike most superheroes, Soto tells us, the Reyes family’s dynamic is an important part of the Blue Beetle’s story, beginning with his very first transformation. Because the family is so integral to his arc, that meant enlisting a talented, ensemble cast, and to do so, Soto says it was important to “...hire Mexican actors – not just Mexican Americans, but also go to Mexico and get the best stars from Mexico.” That’s why Blue Beetle’s stacked cast features George Lopez (Rudy Reyes), Harvey Guillén (Dr. Sanchez), Belissa Escobedo (Milagro Reyes), Bruna Marquezine (Jenny Kord), Damián Alcázar (Alberto Reyes), and Adriana Barraza (Nana). As for Blue Beetle’s first feature nemeses, Raoul Max Trujillo plays Conrad Carapax, and Susan Sarandon is Victoria Kord.
During their one-on-one conversation, Soto talks about what it feels like to finally share this project with the world and why it’s especially important to be able to release in theaters on immersive IMAX screens. They talk about the Nintendo Power Glove’s influence over the film, how he hopes the film resonates with all audiences, and why a superhero movie with a Latino “front and center” is such a necessary story to tell, adding that too often, “...our stories are told in the middle of the sentence.” They also talk DC Easter eggs, the “obscene” and authentic humor, doing as much practically as possible, and more.
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