One of DC’s upcoming productions just got a bit of a shake-up. But don’t worry, it isn’t the kind of shake-up that results in the theatrical cut ofJustice League. This time, a widely speculated theory based on solid evidence has been thoroughly turned on its head, resulting in a surprise addition to a future film.
DC’sBlue Beetlemovie has just signed Susan Sarandon, star ofThelma & LouiseandThe Rocky Horror Picture Show, to play the villain Victoria Kord. While this news is pleasantly unexpected, particularly to fans of the actress, the real shock comes from a near certainty thatBasic InstinctandCasinostar Sharon Stone was actually going to take the role. In fact, her talks with the studio appeared to be such a sure thing that many outletsreported her casting inBlue Beetleas confirmed.
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Luckily, this one feels more like the real deal, as The Wrap now reports that Sarandon has officially closed the deal to star in the film. What’s particularly interesting is that all this confusion isn’t even for a pre-established character from DC Comics. Victoria Kord is actually a completely original villain who will make her debut in the upcomingBlue Beetlefilm. So presumably, that leaves Sarandon with a nice blank slate to work with.
Blue Beetlewill be DC Films' first film starring a Latine character, starringCobra Kaistar Xolo Maridueña as teenager Jaime Reyes, the titular hero. Angel Manuel Soto, director ofCharm City Kings, has signed on to direct. They’ll both be joined by apredominantly Latine cast, including George LopezandWhat We Do in the Shadowsstar Harvey Guillén.God Save the King’sBruna Marquezine has also joined the cast as Reyes' love interest, Penny.
In the DC Comics continuity,Blue Beetlerefers to several characters who have taken on the superhero name. But the upcoming film will exclusively feature Maridueña’s Jaime Reyes. Reyes discovers a curious scarab while walking home from school with his friends, only to discover after taking it home that it’s actually a powerful alien artifact. It fuses itself to his body, granting him a versatile suit of armor that enhances his abilities and allows him to create weapons at will.
There do seem to be a lot of superhero stories nowadays featuring teens discovering their new powers, withThe CW’sNaomibeing one notable example. But that doesn’t mean the formula is stale. In fact,Blue Beetlehas a number of opportunities to really set itself apart from the rest, both in terms of its cast as well as its storytelling style. The movie has over a year of waiting before its release, but that just means all the more time to get excited.
Blue Beetleis set to release on August 18th, 2023 in theaters.
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