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The DC Universe will see both Superman and Lex Luthor return in 2027, with the hero and villain of 2025's Superman teaming up in Man of Tomorrow. They won't be the only DC characters present in the film, however, with several other heroes expected to show up in some capacity to aid in the fight against Brainiac. While most of these are other characters from James Gunn's 2025 movie, another is a holdover from the previous cinematic DC shared timeline.
Xolo Maridueña will reprise his role as Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle in Man of Tomorrow, though it's unknown how big his role will be. This builds upon the status of his 2023 solo movie, which actually exists in two continuities. Given how Blue Beetle was one of the more overlooked but well-received heroes of the controversial DC Extended Universe, it's clear that James Gunn is keeping everything from beforehand that actually worked.
The Best Snyderverse Hero Was Always Destined to Join the DCU
The year 2023 was something of a "lame duck" year for Warner Bros. Discovery's DC Extended Universe, as it marked both the 10th anniversary and the end of the largely failed continuity. Black Adam in 2022 failed to regenerate excitement in the DCEU, and this saw the year end with the announcement of a Superman reboot by James Gunn that would be released in the coming years.
Thus, the final four entries in the DCEU were dumped into theaters throughout 2023, with none of them being particularly successful. Among these movies was Blue Beetle, which introduced audiences to Jaime Reyes. Though the movie, which was originally intended to simply be released on the HBO Max app when the DCEU still had potential, failed to make much of a box office splash, it was fairly well-received among fans and especially critics.
This positivity was surprising given the criticism of and increasing ambivalence toward the DC Extended Universe, and it came amid the growing popularity of actor Xolo Maridueña. When James Gunn started cementing what, if anything, would carry over from the DCEU into the new DCU, he stated that the Suicide Squad characters (including John Cena's anti-hero, Peacemaker) would make the transition.
The same was also said for Blue Beetle, though some assumed that this was a marketing tactic to make the movie more successful when it hit theaters, as it would add a level of importance to it. Among the initial DCU projects announced by DC Studios was a still-pending Blue Beetle animated series, with Xolo and his co-stars reprising their previous roles. While it's still unknown when that will come out, fans do know when and where they'll see his version of Blue Beetle show up next.
What Role Will Blue Beetle Play in Man of Tomorrow?
As noted, Xolo Maridueña's Blue Beetle will appear next in 2027's Man of Tomorrow, and he's one of several metahumans confirmed for the film. It remains to be seen how much of his solo movie from 2023 is canon to the new DC Universe, and the same goes for the full extent of his role in the new movie. More than likely, given that the villain is Brainiac, James Gunn will pull from the "Panic in the Sky!" storyline more than anything.
While he's stated that the new movie is more of an amalgam of all stories featuring Brainiac, the presence of numerous DC heroes unrelated to Superman feels very similar to "Panic in the Sky!" from 1992. That story also had the Ted Kord Blue Beetle make a prominent appearance, so Jaime may take his place in this version.
Another major possibility is that this will act as the springboard for the DCU Blue Beetle animated series. By featuring him in a major sequel to Supermanand having him interact with the broader DC Universe, it will likely make Jaime more popular while also reminding fans of the DCEU that he exists. Blue Beetle has always been something of an "also-ran" among DC heroes, but Jaime Reyes has inarguably received more push than his two predecessors since he was introduced.
This could finally pay off by having him rub shoulders with the Man of Steel, and given the alien nature of Brainiac, the movie could set up a storyline involving the extraterrestrial Reach in his animated series. These are the aliens that created the Scarab that turns Jaime into Blue Beetle, and that potential storyline is one that would be much cheaper to tell through animation as opposed to a live-action movie. This means that Jaime is in the best shape he's ever been in to really hit it big with fans.
Why Blue Beetle Was the Most Underrated Snyderverse Hero
As mentioned, Blue Beetle has historically been something of a rung far below heroes such as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and even Aquaman. Jaimes Reyes has been pushed by DC off and on since the late 2000s, but it's never amounted to him really getting over. This was reflected in the box office performance of his movie, but this paints the character as something of an underdog who deserves his flowers.
It helps that his movie was one of the few generally well-received DCEU films, and it was merely hurt by coming out at the tail end of that shared universe. Jaime in the DC Extended Universe was also notably older than he usually is in the comics, and this was the secret to why his character was so endearing. It also made him far more endearing and relatable than other attempts at young superheroes.
The DCEU version of Shazam, a.k.a. Captain Marvel, doubled down on goofiness and jokes meant to appeal to Gen Z, with the character being lackadaisical and doing trendy dances such as "the floss." This comedy was a breath of fresh air at first, given how dark many of the Snyderverse (named after director Zack Snyder, who started the DCEU with 2013's Man of Steel) were beforehand.
Even then, his first movie was just a modest success, whereas the sequel, which wasn't as well-received, became a laughingstock due to the complete audience disinterest. It was a definite example of trying to appeal or pander to kids and young teens, but inevitably falling flat, given how quickly the flotsam and jetsam of pop culture can move for those audiences.
The same can also be said for some of the more recent versions of Marvel's Spider-Man, which perhaps lean a bit too much into the "Gen Z high schooler" set of tropes. On the other hand, Jaime was portrayed as a recent college grad and someone who was trying to figure things out for himself and his family. There was still an aspect of youth in him, as seen in some of the weapons and attacks he used in his movie.
This was tempered, however, with a strong sense of tragic responsibility that made him relatable to a wider audience besides just kids. When combined with a movie that was actually worth watching, it made him and the said film hidden gems within the DCEU. Now, James Gunn is recognizing that quality and bringing him back through the DC Universe, reminding fans of the 2023 movie that, in a different time, might have been a much bigger hit.
