The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) has gone through its fair share of ups and downs since its inception. With a mix of successful hits and critical misses, the franchise has seen multiple creative visions and interpretations. Two years ago, director James Gunn made his mark on the DCEU with his unique take on The Suicide Squad. Now, as the new co-head of the newly minted DC Studios, Gunn is gearing up for the theatrical release of DC’s Blue Beetle, and fans are wondering whether this film will be a part of Gunn’s new DC Universe (known as the DCU) or the older DCEU.
DCEU Soft Reboot With Blue Beetle?
Gunn’s involvement in the DCEU has brought a breath of fresh air to the franchise. Known for his work on Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy films, he infuses his movies with humor, heart, and a distinct visual style. The Suicide Squad, released in 2021, showcased Gunn’s ability to handle an ensemble cast of antiheroes, delivering a movie that was both entertaining and subversive. The critical success of The Suicide Squad and its HBO Max spinoff series, Peacemaker, resulted in James Gunn’s appointment as co-CEO and co-Chairperson of the newly rebranded DC Studios, back in November 2022.
Blue Beetle, a lesser-known character in the world of superheroes, is about to take center stage. Created by Charles Wojtkowski and artist Paris Cullins, the character has gone through several iterations over the years. The most recent version, Jaime Reyes, is a teenager who acquires a scarab-shaped alien artifact that grants him a powerful exo-suit. With an exciting blend of technology and mysticism, Blue Beetle’s story offers plenty of potential for an engaging film.
DCU or DCEU?
The big question, however, remains: Will Blue Beetle be part of Gunn’s new DC Universe or the existing DCEU? Back in 2020, then head of DC Film, Walter Hamada, announced plans for a Blue Beetle movie designed to be broadcast on the fledgling HBO Max streaming service. The movie, according to Hamada, would take place within the existing DC Extended Universe that fans were familiar with. Blue Beetle was to be the first DCEU hero of Latin descent to headline a DCEU film and would exist in the same cinematic universe as Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, Ezra Miller’s The Flash, and James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad.
But those plans would soon change. First, Hamada announced that the direct-to-streaming Blue Beetle movie would be distributed as a theatrical release and marketed as a major DCEU super hero. Shortly thereafter, in the Fall of 2022, Walter Hamada was removed as head of DC Films and the entire DC entertainment division was rebranded and reorganized under the the DC Studios moniker. Hamada was replaced by James Gunn and Peter Safran, who would share the titles of co-Chairman and co-CEO. With this new studio reorganization, the DCEU was rendered as a legacy cinematic universe, with the entire DC Universe being softly rebooted. Some characters (and actors) from the existing legacy DCEU would be brought forward into the new rebooted ‘DCU’ while others would be discarded and recast. Among the first DCEU characters to be “retired” was Henry Cavill’s Superman. Fans began to speculate whether Blue Beetle, created within the DC Extended Universe, would survive the transition to the DCU.
In June of 2023, James Gunn caused some confusion amongst the fandom by declaring in a podcast that Blue Beetle would be the “first DCU character,” while Superman Legacy would be the “first DCU movie”. In other words, Gunn avoided clarifying whether the new Blue Beetle movie would be part of the “old” or “new” cinematic universe. Curiously, he would only confirm that the Blue Beetle character would be part of the soft reboot of the DC cinematic narrative that he was overseeing. Pundits immediately began speculating that the Blue Beetle movie would retroactively become part of the DCU only if it performed well at the box office. But if it failed to be commercially successful in theaters, the movie would be considered part of the legacy DCEU, and the character would be softly rebooted in future projects of the new DCU.
Multiverse Prospects
DC’s approach to its cinematic universe has evolved in recent years. With films like Joker and The Batman taking a more independent approach to storytelling, DC seems to be embracing the idea of multiple universes existing simultaneously. This paves the way for different creative teams to explore their own interpretations of beloved characters, without the constraints of a strict shared continuity.
Additionally, the choice of a lesser-known character like Blue Beetle could indicate DC’s willingness to experiment and take risks with their film projects. This aligns with Gunn’s track record of turning lesser-known characters into fan favorites.
Of course, there’s also the possibility that Blue Beetle might find a way to fit into the existing DCEU and be part of the new DCU. The recent The Flash movie explored the concept of the multiverse, so there’s a chance that Blue Beetle could exist in a parallel universe that connects the DCEU to the new DCU timeline.
In conclusion, while there is no definitive answer at the moment, all signs point to the Blue Beetle character being part of James Gunn’s unique vision for the DC universe, whether that means a new universe entirely or a separate corner of the existing multiverse. Regardless of its placement, fans can look forward to an exciting and fresh take on a character that has the potential to capture audiences’ hearts. As DC continues to expand its cinematic offerings, the possibilities for storytelling and creativity are seemingly endless. 🔥
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