Blue Beetle Star Celebrates Man of Tomorrow Return: “Some BTS I’ll Never Get Over”
Blue Beetle hit theaters in 2023 at the tail end of the DCEU, arriving after a string of costly flops and behind-the-scenes turmoil had drained the goodwill of DC’s fanbase. Despite that, the film defied low expectations, delivering a genuinely charming story anchored by a stacked ensemble cast led by Xolo Maridueña’s Jaime Reyes. Rather than disappearing alongside the rest of the abandoned continuity, the hero found an unlikely path forward. Hope for his future first surfaced when James Gunn singled out Blue Beetle as the first DCU character, then grew again when reports surfaced of an in-development animated series retaining the film’s original cast to voice their roles. Now, Maridueña’s Jaime Reyes has landed his most significant vote of confidence yet by getting a role in Man of Tomorrow.
“Seems like as good a time as ever to check out Blue Beetle (2023) if you haven’t!” Maridueña wrote on Instagram, addressing the news head-on. The post arrived one day after news broke that Maridueña will reprise Jaime Reyes in Man of Tomorrow, officially folding Blue Beetle into the DCU three years after his standalone film. Maridueña paired the announcement with a batch of behind-the-scenes photos alongside director Angel Manuel Soto and his Blue Beetle castmates, further underlining the importance of the hero to the DCU’s future by adding, “This character was/continues to be the most gratifying experience.”
Blue Beetle Is in Man of Tomorrow, But Don’t Expect a Big Role
Man of Tomorrow picks up after 2025’s Superman, with David Corenswet’s Superman and Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor reportedly forced into an uneasy alliance against Brainiac (Lars Eidinger), the biomechanical conqueror serving as the sequel’s primary threat. Maridueña’s casting adds Blue Beetle to an already crowded lineup of DCU heroes attached to the project, joining previously confirmed returnees like Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl, Edi Gathegi’s Mister Terrific, Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, and Milly Alcock’s Supergirl, with Aaron Pierre’s Green Lantern John Stewart also joining the adventure. There have also been rumors that Adria Arjona, who has been cast in a mysterious role, could be playing Wonder Woman.
Given the size of that roster, it’s unlikely every character will get meaningful screen time. It’s more plausible to expect Blue Beetle to factor into a larger team Superman assembles for a climactic confrontation, or that he gets tasked alongside other heroes with holding Brainiac’s forces at bay on the ground while Superman and Luthor confront the villain’s ship directly. Either scenario would likely limit Maridueña’s appearance to a single scene, especially given how many established heroes the sequel already has to service. However, even a limited participation cements Blue Beetle’s place in the DCU while also reinforcing Gunn’s plan to build a lived-in superhero universe where metahumans constantly stumble upon each other.
Man of Tomorrow is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 9, 2027.
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