Annlyel James 
Can Blue Beetle unite the fanbase and launch the newly minted DC Studios with success? Annlyel explores the potential
Can Blue Beetle turn the tide at the newly minted DC Studios and unite the fanbase?
It’s not rare for superhero movies to be lauded. Think about Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Or last year’s The Batman and the Oscar-winning Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It is, however, rare for a DC comics movie, attached to the meager attempt to replicate Marvel Studios’ resounding success, DC Extended Universe, to be praised though. The last DCEU film to garner such acclaim was 2017’s Wonder Woman. Since then, it’s been one dismal flop after another.
So, imagine everyone’s surprise when it turned out that the surprise comic book film of the year would turn out to be Blue Beetle. A superhero film based on a character only diehard comic book fans would know. Becoming the first superhero movie to feature a Latino lead, Blue Beetle shines. Why? Because it doesn’t shy away from its cultural relevancy. It delivers a powerful family story that has resonated with fans across the globe.
THE FUTURE OF DC
With obvious nods to Spider-Man for compelling story beats, character traits, and visual similarities, Blue Beetle is a fun film. One that has truly resonated with people. But is it truly the future of DC? The answer is obvious: yes.
James Gunn has already made it clear that Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle is, in fact, the first official character of the DC Universe. That is a relief because Blue Beetle is too awesome to be left out of this desperately needed reboot. Considering the critic and audience reaction, Gunn and Peter Safran must remember the lessons learned from this film’s success if the DCU is going to do well.
DIVERSE STORYLINES
One: the DCU must be diverse. There will need to be a wide variety of stories told featuring characters of all different ethnicities, genders, and backgrounds. I hope they don’t look at the shockingly low opening weekend box-office numbers and decide to head in a direction that is decidedly more white and male-oriented.
Two, and this is the most important detail: the stories HAVE to be good. Blue Beetle could be deemed generic, which it often was, but it had heart. So much, that what could’ve been a bland film turned into something quite enjoyable and emotionally attaching. Every DC Universe movie moving forward must have a voice. It must be compelling and must be able to shine. Otherwise, the DCU will be condemned to the same dismal fate as its predecessor for the past decade.
But for now, let’s enjoy this moment and support this film in theaters because truly, it’s one of the best comic book movies in recent years.
DC’s Blue Beetle is distributed by Warner Bros and is playing in cinemas in the US and UK now. Subscribe to our newsletter at the top of our homepage to stay up-to-date with all the latest news and reviews from Future of the Force.
Annlyel James is a Senior Correspondent of The Future of the Force. She is passionate about Star Wars and Marvel but loves a wide variety of movie genres. Aside from her role with Future of the Force she also writes for her blog: annlyelonline. Follow her on Twitter where she channels the Force frequently!
