SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers for “Blue Beetle,” now playing in theaters.
Warner Bros.’ “Blue Beetle” has arrived, and it marks another in-between point for the DC Universe, which is in the middle of being rebooted by James Gunn and Peter Safran, the new co-CEOs of DC Studios.
The most recent DC movie, June’s “The Flash,” effectively rebooted the entire superhero universe by smashing together different worlds and timelines of beloved heroes. That movie intertwined multiple versions of Flash, Batman, Superman and Supergirl, leaving behind a mixed-up, mainline world that has yet to define who sits on the current roster of heroes.
So where does Blue Beetle fit into that new DC world?
Besides a few mentions of Batman, Superman, the Flash and cities like Gotham City, Metropolis and Central City — Jaime rocks a Gotham Law hoodie, while Uncle Rudy (George Lopez) jokingly scoffs at Batman, calls the vigilante “a fascist” — “Blue Beetle” mostly stands on its own from the rest of DC. There aren’t any surprise cameos from other heroes, but the mid-credits scene does hint at more to come from the “Blue Beetle” mythos.
At the end of the movie, Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) finally bonds with the Scarab and masters the Blue Beetle suit. His crush, Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine), also takes over Kord Industries after they defeat her aunt Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon), who planned to weaponize the Scarab and create a robot army.
Then, in the mid-credits scene, Jenny’s father Ted Kord, who was a previous Blue Beetle that disappeared — and was presumed dead — sends a message to an empty Beetle Cave headquarters revealing he’s still alive.
In the comics, Ted Kord was the second Blue Beetle, following the original hero Dan Garrett, who also gets mentioned in the movie. There has been no word yet on a “Blue Beetle” sequel, but it seems likely that Ted could make an appearance somewhere in the DC Universe in the future.
Gunn wrote in an Instagram post from the “Blue Beetle” premiere that Jaime Reyes will be “an amazing part of the DCU going forward,” which Safran credited in part to Xolo Maridueña’s “star-making performance.” While Gunn and Safran plot out their rebooted DC Universe slate, there aren’t any confirmed future appearances for Jaime, but fans of the Blue Beetle comics point to one upcoming title where he could fit in.
In addition to movies and shows like “Superman: Legacy,” “The Brave and the Bold” and “Lanterns,” Gunn and Safran’s upcoming DC slate includes a live-action “Booster Gold” TV series. In the DC comics, Booster Gold is a superhero from the 25th-century who travels back to the present using futuristic, time-hopping technology. He’s a fan-favorite for his goofy, showboating personality, and frequently teams up with Ted Kord’s Blue Beetle. The super-friends have been known to cross over into each other’s comics, band together as part of the Justice League and recently co-led a series titled “Blue and Gold.”
Not much is known about the “Booster Gold” series, but it doesn’t seem far-fetched to imagine Jaime Reyes making an appearance or a version of Ted Kord debuting on the show. The two are often depicted as a package deal, so their live-action team-up might be what Gunn is teasing as a part of the DC Universe’s future.
