While everyone’s celebrating the arrival of Marvel’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, DC is almost ready to debut another bug-related hero, Blue Beetle! We have confirmation that singer and actress Becky G is starring alongside Xolo Maridueña in the upcoming superhero film as the voice of Khaji-Da, “the being that imbues and controls the Scarab attached to Jaime’s (Xolo Maridueña) back.”
Becky G announced her casting through the official Blue Beetle Instagram account. In the video, Becky G talks about her excitement for the film and the honor of joining a blockbuster film project that puts the Latino community front and center. After a brief introduction, Becky G offers an education about her pivotal character, Khaji-Da.
According to DC‘s ever-changing continuity, Jaime Reyes became Blue Beetle after Dan Garret and Ted Kord. Created by Keith Giffen, John Rogers, and Cully Hamner, Jaime Reyes discovered the Blue Beetle scarab while walking home from school with two of his best friends, Paco and Brenda. After bringing the strange object home for further inspection, the mysterious item sprang to life and attached itself to the base of Reyes’ spine. As a result, Reyes gained control of a temperamental suit of extraterrestrial armor that could grant its wearer enhanced speed and strength. As a bonus to the unique suit, the Blue Beetle armor can create weapons, shields, and wings from its otherworldly materials.
Angel Manuel Soto (Charm City Kings) directs Blue Beetle from a script by Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer (Miss Bala). In addition to Xolo Maridueña, the Blue Beetle movie also stars George Lopez (Beverly Hills Chihuahua), Adriana Barraza (Rambo: Last Blood), Elpidia Carrillo (Predator), Damián Alcázar (Miss Bala), Belissa Escobedo (American Horror Stories), Bruna Marquezine (God Save the King), Harvey Guillén (What We Do in the Shadows), and Raoul Max Trujillo (Mayans M.C.). Susan Sarandon (Monarch) is also set to star as Victoria Kord, the film’s main villain.
What do you think about Becky G joining the Blue Beetle cast? Are you excited about Xolo Maridueña joining the DCU? Will Blue Beetle remain a part of the DC Cinematic Universe now that James Gunn and Peter Safran are in charge? Only time will tell. Blue Beetle opens in theaters on August 18, 2023. Let’s go!