Posted in: HBO, Max, streaming, TV | Tagged: blue beetle, dc studios, dcu, preview

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

On his Lone Lobos podcast, Blue Beetle star Xolo Maridueña discussed the recently-announced animated series and Jamie Reyes tapping into his love of anime.

Earlier this month, the news dropped 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 DC Studios Co-CEOs James Gunn & Peter Safran's New DCU via an animated series. Miguel Puga (The Casagrandes) has been tapped as showrunner and director – with Puga reportedly having started working on the series earlier this year – and Cristian Martinez (Good Trouble) is set as the writer. Checking in with his Lone Lobos podcast co-host (and Cobra Kai co-star) Jacob Bertrand, 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."

Here's a look back at Puga's tweet/x that went live shortly after sites began covering the initial reporting, confirming the news:

And here's a look back at Maridueña's reaction to the news of the animated series:

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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