From the Karate Kid universe to DC Comics, Xolo Mariduea is making the transition. The Cobra Kai star has landed the main part in Blue Beetle, one of the first DC Films to be released exclusively on HBO Max, alongside Batgirl. Mariduea appeared at The Suicide Squad premiere with Blue Beetle director Angel Manuel Soto (Charm City Kings), who confirmed the casting to Heat Vision writer Aaron Couch on Monday afternoon, according to The Wrap.
“#BlueBeetle has arrived at #TheSuicideSquad! Director Angel Manuel Soto and Warners execs surprised Xolo Maridueña with the news at dinner just last night,” Couch tweeted along with a photo of the director and star at the premiere.
Mariduea will play Jamie Reyes, a teen who is the third rendition of the famous superhero, in Blue Beetle. In the comics, Reyes is a Mexican-American adolescent who came across the Blue Beetle Scarab by chance in his hometown of El Paso. The Scarab melded to his spine, bestowing upon him a highly superior body armor with abilities that the young hero is unaware of. Blue Beetle, as played by Reyes, also had a key role in the popular animated series Young Justice.
As The Wrap notes, Blue Beetle (as far as DC/Warner Bros. goes) will be “the first stand-alone title to feature a Latino lead.” The HBO Max exclusive film will also be written by Mexico-born writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer (Scarface, Miss Bala).
