Posted in: HBO, Max, Movies, TV | Tagged: blue beetle, dc studios, Xolo Maridueña

Blue Beetle Animated Series Eyed for 2026 Premiere: Xolo Maridueña

Blue Beetle star Xolo Maridueña offered a quick update on the DC Studios animated series, noting that the studio is eyeing a 2026 premiere.

With everything going on in and around DC Studios Co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran's New DCU, we nearly forgot that Warner Bros. Animation and DC Studios were in development on an animated series that would bring Xolo Maridueña's Jamie Reyes/Blue Beetle and others from the 2023 feature film into the New DCU. Miguel Puga (The Casagrandes) was tapped as showrunner and director, and Cristian Martinez (Good Trouble) set as the writer. Speaking with The Direct on Sunday night during the Saturn Awards, Maridueña offered a quick update on how things are looking – and when he expects the animated series to finally hit screens. "I'm ready to come back. We're hitting hard this animated project, hoping to get this settled out this year to show everyone next year," the Saturn Award winner (Best Young Performer in a Television Series, Cobra Kai) shared – meaning production is rolling along this year for a 2025 debut.

Blue Beetle: Xolo Maridueña on Animated Series, Jamie Reyes/Anime

Checking in with his Lone Lobos podcast co-host (and Cobra Kai co-star) Jacob Bertrand back in June 2024, Maridueña shared some early thoughts about the series – and what he had to share should bring a smile to anime fans. "Wowza, Blue Beetle is back! I'm so excited! To get to do the… I think there is an opportunity on each platform to really make something shine, right? In the movie, you had the opportunity to do the movie stuff. In a TV show, you have the chance to do long-format stuff," Maridueña shared about the move from live-action film to animated series. What's interesting about the news is that it still isn't clear if the series will be a soft, New DCU-friendly "reboot" or a continuation from the film – though we're leaning pretty hard on it being the former.

Also, the creative possibilities that an animated series lends aren't lost on Maridueña, who sees a greater opportunity for Jamie to dig deep into his love for anime when it's fight time. "In an animated show…the f***ing fact this kid likes anime and can make whatever freaking weapon he wants and has this suit that lights up… if they do the suit right in animated, I wonder if it's going to look exactly like the movie suit did or if it's going to, depending on what the art style, if it's going to look a little bit different [or the same] for branding and all that."

Joining Maridueña in the original feature film were George Lopez, Adrianna Barraza, Damián Alcázar, Elpidia Carrillo, Harvey Guillén, Raoul Trujillo, and Becky G as the voice Khaji-Da (the voice behind Jaime's Blue Beetle suit). In terms of casting, DH reports that "multiple" cast members have been contacted about the project and that DC Studios has been getting "positive" responses in terms of who could be returning. In addition, it's being reported that the series will "build" on the feature film but "divert from telling the same story" and craft its own narrative – which would be a great way to have the feature film cast have a home in the New DCU: bring them aboard in an animated series, tweak what needs to be tweaked to fit the New DCU, and then have them back in the live-action world – feature film, streaming series, or both. Angel Manuel Soto, Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, and John Ricard are reportedly set as executive producers, and Galen Vaisman will oversee the animated series for DC Studios.

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