Two years ago, the news broke that DC Studios was moving forward with an animated Blue Beetle TV series. At the time, it was said the show was already in development, with Miguel Puga (The Casagrandes) said to have been hard at work on it for months.
He was named as showrunner, while Cristian Martinez (Women of the Movement) was writing the series. Angel Manuel Soto and Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, director and screenwriter of the 2023 movie, respectively, were named as executive producers alongside John Ricard and Galen Vaisman.
Jaime Reyes actor Xolo Maridueña was also confirmed to reprise his role alongside unnamed other actors who also starred in the Blue Beetle movie. However, there were conflicting reports about whether it was a continuation or a soft reboot meant to bring Jaime into the DCU without any DCEU baggage (the prevailing opinion was that it would likely be both).
Following the news that Maridueña will return as Blue Beetle in James Gunn's Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow, Deadline has shared an update on the animated project. Unfortunately, it sounds like it's gone the way of other unmade "Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters DCU" movies and TV shows, Waller, The Authority, and Swamp Thing.
"Last year, HBO Max revealed it would prioritise adult and family programming, with children’s programming taking a step back because it doesn’t fare as well and is no longer viewed as a priority," the trade writes. "The Blue Beetle animated series was targeting young audiences, who made up a large swath of the giant bug’s fanbase. There have been no updates on the project since the original announcement."
While the Blue Beetle TV series hasn't been officially scrapped, it's telling that it wasn't mentioned at DC Studios' recent Annecy panel. At the animation event, we got updates on the likes of Creature Commandos Season 2 and My Adventures with Green Lantern, as well as confirmation that Absolute Batman, Joker: Laugh Riot, and Krypto are in the works.
Last year, Maridueña expressed his enthusiasm to play Blue Beetle again. "I'm ready to come back," he declared. "We're hitting hard this animated project, hoping to get this settled out this year to show everyone next year."
Asked if he'd spoken to Gunn about suiting up for real, Maridueña replied, "Look, he's got his hands in his kitchen. I don't want to walk in while the chef is doing his thing. But I can say that once they're finished with this three-course meal, I'm ready. And look, I have no reason to believe that he's lying."
"Like, whatever, we're adults, say whatever you want to say! [Laughs]" he continued. "I'm just happy to have done this first one and I'll continue to spread the word about that while we get the second one drafted up."
Man of Tomorrow arrives in theaters on July 9, 2027.