While we don't currently have the photos to confirm it, both Nexus Point News and multiple accounts on X are reporting that Xolo Maridueña will reprise his DCEU role as Blue Beetle in Man of Tomorrow (the rumour first circulated with claims the actor has been spotted on set).
The Blue Beetle movie was released in 2023, but it came at a time when moviegoers had largely given up on the DCEU. Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom all underperformed at the box office, and Blue Beetle was considered a flop after making only $130.8 million worldwide.
However, it received positive reviews from fans and critics, and DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn later hinted that he considers Blue Beetle part of the new DCU. While it's been a long time since we received any updates, an animated series featuring the character reportedly remains in the works.
Jaime Reyes' presence in Man of Tomorrow makes sense because of the hero's affiliation with the Justice League International. That team is clearly the basis for the DCU's Justice Gang, and Blue Beetle joining the team's ranks would be a great way to put him back in the spotlight.
A clever, compassionate teenager from El Paso, Texas, Jaime becomes the superhero Blue Beetle when an ancient alien scarab bonds with his spine. In the comics, the artefact grants him a powerful biomechanical suit that generates energy blasts, flight, armour, and adaptive weapons, turning the reluctant hero into a vital member of the Teen Titans and Justice League.
The 2023 film reimagined the hero as a recent college graduate facing family struggles and financial hardship. When the scarab chooses him, he must master his new powers while protecting his loved ones from ruthless corporate villains like Victoria Kord.
After teasing that Blue Beetle fits "very nicely" into the DCU, Gunn previously said, "Peacemaker was always in a weird place. People say he’s a part of the DCEU, but he wasn’t really. He was a part of this in-between universe of DC when there was nobody really making sure everything was connected, and at a time when they were going to rewrite everything with The Flash."
"We were kind of able to do whatever we wanted. We had that brash ending, which I loved. It was one of my favourite things in the whole season, but it just didn’t fit in with the DCU," he continued. "And Peacemaker almost – there’s hardly anything you need to change for him to slide very easily into the DCU. Same with Blue Beetle. They just kind of fit in very nicely, but maybe we have to retcon a couple of things."
In Man of Tomorrow, Superman will be forced to team up with Lex Luthor to battle Brainiac, a threat not just to Metropolis but to the entire world.
Written and directed by James Gunn, previously announced stars include David Corenswet as Clark Kent/Superman, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Lars Eidinger as Brainiac, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Sara Sampaio as Eve Teschmacher, Frank Grillo as Rick Flag, Sr., Aaron Pierre as John Stewart, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, and Milly Alcock as Supergirl.
Andre Royo, Matthew Lillard, Sinqua Walls, and Adria Arjona recently joined the cast, though we still don't know for sure whether the latter is playing Maxima or Wonder Woman. There's also speculation about Eva De Dominici playing one of those characters.
Man of Tomorrow arrives in theaters on July 9, 2027.