Blue Beetle director outlines plans for 2 more films and talks DCU changes
Angel Manuel Soto says his new film feels like the "first act in a saga".
It's safe to say that DC is in something of a state of flux regarding its cinematic output at the moment – what with James Gunn and Peter Safran set to launch a rebooted DC Universe beginning with Superman: Legacy in 2025.
That has led to some confusion about exactly where the recently released Blue Beetle fits within DC's plans, and whether the titular superhero played by Cobra Kai's Xolo Maridueña could have a part to play in future DC projects.
Gunn himself has teased that there could be a place for the character in his new universe, somewhat confusingly calling him the "first DC Universe character", while clarifying that the film itself was not part of the new project.
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And director Angel Manuel Soto certainly has hopes that there could be lots more to come from the character – explaining during an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com that he sees his film as "the first act of a saga".
And he even went so far as to reveal some tentative plans for the second and third instalments in what he hopes will eventually become a trilogy.
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“We've had discussions," he said. "Like we really wanted to focus the first movie on the connection part, and then the second movie on the relationship part and then the other one on the revolution part.
"So it's kind of like, we have an idea where we want to take it," he added. "But ultimately with the studio and the way things work, it's up to the fans to go and see it and support it and get excited for what's to come."
Read more:
- David Corenswet wants to play more "upbeat" Superman than Henry Cavill's
- Guardians of the Galaxy creator James Gunn teases future DC and Marvel crossover
In the interview, Soto also claimed that all the rumours and speculation about the future of the franchise had not had any effect on him while he was making the film.
“No [it didn’t affect it]," he said. "I think like, first of all, when we started the movie, the project, we didn't know there were going to be two regime changes after that. So that wasn't on the horizon, at least for me.
"And also, when we started working on the project, we really wanted to focus on Jaime, and Jaime himself from the beginning, not Jaime already being a hero. As an origin story, we really wanted to make this first movie feel like the first act of a saga, right?
"Like the movie ends, and now he can jump into the new world. Now he's gonna be a hero, right? But we needed to have his first adventure… like the whole movie is the reluctant hero facing his first adventure. And then the next iteration of the Blue Beetle saga, we're gonna see him grow and become a bigger hero and face bigger foes."
Blue Beetle is released in cinemas on Friday 18th August 2023. Read more of our Film coverage, or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.
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