In a recent interview on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Oscar winner Susan Sarandon opened up about her involvement in Warner Bros. Pictures’ upcoming Blue Beetle film, revealing how much she enjoyed playing the superhero film’s main antagonist.
RELATED: Catherine Keener Joins Cast of Joker: Folie à Deux
“I’m, of course, the bad guy,” Sarandon teased. “I’m the white military-industrial complex, so I had a fabulous time because there’s nothing better than being bad.”
Due to the titular hero’s Mexican-American identity, she also confirmed that most of the film’s dialogue will be in Spanish and will be subtitled. “What’s fabulous about it is that it’s the first Latinx hero that has his own movie,” Sarandon revealed. “Even better, all of the Mexican, because his family is Mexican and all the actors were Mexican-American, and it’s in Spanish. So there’s subtitles.”
The Blue Beetle movie is directed by Angel Manuel Soto (Charm City Kings) from a screenplay adapted by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer (Miss Bala). Cobra Kai breakout Xolo Maridueña stars in Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Films’ first stand-alone Latino-led superhero movie as Mexican-American teenager Jaime Reyes.
Joining Maridueña are Oscar winner Susan Sarandon, Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows), Brazilian star Bruna Marquezine (Breaking Through) as Penny, Belissa Escobedo (Sex Appeal, Hocus Pocus 2) as Milagro Reyes, George Lopez (The Spy Next Door) as Uncle Rudy, Adrianna Barraza (Babel) as Nana, Elpidia Carrillo (Predator) as Rocio, and Damián Alcázar (Narcos) as Alberto.
Originally set as an HBO Max original film, Blue Beetle is now scheduled for an exclusive theatrical release on August 18, 2023. It will be executive produced by Zev Foreman of Warner Bros., with John Rickard set as a producer.
RELATED: Harley Quinn Season 4 Announced With New Showrunner
In the comics, Jaime Reyes was the third character in the comics to take on the mantle of the Blue Beetle, following Dan Garret and Ted Kord. His powers came from a Blue Beetle scarab that grafted itself to the base of Jaime’s spine, giving him a suit of extraterrestrial armor that can be modified to enhance his speed and strength, as well as create weapons, wings, and shields.
