Brazilian actress Bruna Marquezine, Belissa Escobedo and Harvey Guillén have joined the cast of “Blue Beetle,” DC Films’ first superhero movie starring a Latino character, TheWrap has exclusively learned.
Newcomer Marquezine is set to play the female lead and love interest, Penny, Escobedo is set to play Milagros Reyes, the younger sister of Jaime Reyes, and details about Guillen’s role is being kept under wraps.
“Cobra Kai” breakout Xolo Maridueña is set to star in the lead role of Jaime Reyes in “Blue Beetle.” “Charm City Kings” director Angel Manuel Soto is set to direct. The screenplay is from Mexican writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, who wrote Universal’s “Scarface” remake and Sony’s “Miss Bala.” John Rickard is the producer.
“Blue Beetle” is set to be released theatrically on Aug. 18, 2023.
In DC Comics, Blue Beetle is the superhero alter ego used by three different heroes, but the film will focus on Mexican-American teenager Jaime Reyes, the third character to assume the Blue Beetle mantle.
Created by Keith Giffen, John Rogers, and Cully Hamner in 2006, Jaime Reyes was introduced during the “Infinite Crisis” crossover event ahead of the launch of a new “Blue Beetle” in May 2006. Reyes is a working-class El Paso teenager devoted to his family and with no connections to superheroes prior to receiving his powers.
Jaime Reyes discovered the Blue Beetle scarab on the way home from school with two of his best friends Paco and Brenda, half-buried in a disused lot. Reyes took the scarab home, curious as to what it might be. That night, the scarab came alive grafted itself to the base of Jaime’s spine and provided him with a suit of extraterrestrial armor that can be modified to enhance his speed and strength, as well as to create weapons, wings and shields.
Escobedo recently wrapped one of the lead roles in “Hocus Pocus 2,” the sequel to the Halloween cult classic. Previously she starred in the ABC one hour dramedy “The Baker and the Beauty.” She was first discovered for the 2018 ABC Discovers Showcase, which she auditioned for amongst thousands for a select group of twenty. Most recently, she can be seen in a lead role in the FX anthology series “American Horror Stories” and in the Quibi limited series “Don’t Look Deeper,” directed by Catherine Hardwicke. She can currently be seen in the American High for Hulu film “Sex Appeal” and the upcoming independent film “Sis Is Dead.” Escobedo is based in Los Angeles. Escobedo is repped by Gersh, Anonymous Content and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher.
Guillén is best known for paying Guillermo de la Cruz in FX’s “What We Do in the Shadows,” for which he has received critical acclaim. Guillén also provides the voice of Funny the Magic House in “Mickey Mouse Funhouse.” Guillén is repped by Innovative.