Here Are All the Characters and Cast in the ‘Blue Beetle’ Movie (So Far!)

With a release date of August 18, 2023, and filming anticipated to begin very soon in metro Atlanta, DC is getting ready to debut a brand new hero on the big screen with their upcoming Blue Beetle film.

This will be a particularly special film as it will mark the very first time a Latino hero has led a DC film. In the titular role of Jaime Reyes (a.k.a. Blue Beetle) is Xolo Maridueña. Maridueña is known for his breakout role in the popular Netflix series Cobra Kai, in which he portrays Miguel Diaz. Not only will Blue Beetle‘s lead character be of Hispanic descent, but so will the majority of the cast. Director Angel Manuel Soto has been open about his desire to authentically portray a multigenerational Mexican family within the film.

As a result, the entire Reyes family will be appearing in Blue Beetle. This includes Reyes’s parents, sister, nana, and uncle. Meanwhile, the cast isn’t just filled with diversity, but is also teaming with talent and boasts numerous well-established actors and actresses with impressive accolades to their names. Here are the confirmed cast and characters in Blue Beetle.

Xolo Maridueña as Jaime Reyes

Maridueña will be heading the film as Reyes. In the film, Reyes is a teenager who discovers the Blue Beetle scarab. The scarab transforms into alien battle armor, giving Reyes superpowers with which to fight crime. We’ve seen Maridueña’s talent before in Cobra Kai, where he shows his affinity for martial arts and action sequences. Even before his official casting, fans were already naming him as the top choice to portray Reyes. Blue Beetle will mark Maridueña’s first appearance in a feature film, meaning it will be quite a different experience than Cobra Kai for him. Still, Maridueña seems up to the challenge and this might be his chance to really show audiences the full extent of his talent.

Susan Sarandon as Victoria Kord

Susan Sarandon will be starring as the film’s main villain, Victoria Kord. She is known for having starred in such projects as Thelma & Louise, The Client, and Dead Man Walking. Amongst her numerous accolades are an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award, as well as six Emmy nominations. Sarandon’s Kord is seemingly an original character, rather than one taken directly from the comics. Her last name suggests a relation to the comic book character Ted Kord, though, who was another variation of Blue Beetle. Initially, Sharon Stone was set to play Kord, but Sarandon has officially taken over the role, and it will be exciting to see her take on a DC villain.

Raoul Max Trujillo as Conrad Carapax

Raoul Max Trujillo has been cast as Blue Beetle‘s second villain, Conrad Carapax (a.k.a. Carapax the Indestructible Man). Trujillo is a well-established actor, best known for his roles in Mayans M.C., Apocalypto, and the Sicario films. Unlike Sarandon’s villain, Trujillo’s villain does boast a comic book background. Carapax was an archeologist who accidentally had his mind infused into the electronic brain of a robot. He was a frequent opponent of Ted Kord’s version of Blue Beetle. While the film focuses on Reyes’ Blue Beetle, it’s interesting that it seems to have some references to other variations of the hero. It will also be interesting to see Trujillo’s take on a man trapped inside a robot’s body.

George Lopez as Uncle Rudy Reyes

George Lopez’s casting in Blue Beetle as Reyes’ uncle, Rudy Reyes, was one of the most exciting additions. Lopez is a veteran comedian and actor who has appeared in countless films and shows and has been recognized for his numerous contributions to the Latinx community. This will mark his very first appearance in DC Extended Universe (DCEU). Not much is known about his role, other than that he is the titular hero’s uncle. The Reyes family, as a whole, wasn’t very visible in the comic books. Hence, we don’t have much to go off of. However, we’re glad that actors like Lopez are helping to build the family and give them a face.

Bruna Marquezine as Penny

Bruna Marquezine has been cast in the role of Penny, who will be Reyes’ love interest. Marquezine is a rising Brazilian actress who is best known for appearing in Maldivas, Breaking Through, and Mulheres Apaixonadas. Penny seems to be an original character, though she may be based on Reyes’ love interests in the comic books. His most prevalent love interest was Traci Thirteen, a young heroine who had magical powers and joined the Teen Titans alongside Reyes. Whether Marquezine’s character will draw from Traci or create an entirely new love interest remains to be seen.

Belissa Escobedo as Milagro Reyes

Belissa Escobedo will be appearing as Reyes’ younger sister, Milagro Reyes. Escobedo is best known for appearing in The Beauty and the Baker and Don’t Look Deeper. She will also be starring in Disney’s upcoming film, Hocus Pocus 2. In the comic books Milagro was one of the more visible members of the Reyes family. She was once injured by the Black Beetle, whom claimed to be Reyes from the future and further claimed that Milagro would one day destroy the Blue Beetle scarab. In another story arc, Milagro is devastated and traumatized when Reyes disappears for a year. It will be intriguing to see if the film explores any of these Milagro arcs.

Elpidia Carrillo & Damián Alcázar as Rocio & Alberto Reyes

Elpidia Carrillo and Damián Alcázar have been cast as Reyes’ parents—Rocio and Alberto Reyes, respectively. You may recognize Carrillo from her roles in Predator and Euphoria, while Alcázar is best known for starring in Narcos. In the comic books, Alberto is a veteran and mechanic, who is permanently injured after being shot by a disgruntled employee. He refused to let Reyes work with him, pushing him to enjoy his childhood instead. Rocio never had much characterization in the comic books, hence it will be interesting to see Carillo’s interpretation. For a long time, Reyes hid his superhero identity from his parents, but it remains to be seen if this is the case in the film, too.

Adriana Barazza as Nana

Adriana Barazza rounds out the Reyes family with her role as Reyes’ Nana. Barazza is a seasoned actress who also runs her own acting school in Miami. She is known for appearing in Bingo Hill, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, and Dora and the Lost City of Gold. Barazza also appeared in the film Babel, a role that garnered her an Academy Award nomination. While Nana hasn’t been featured in the comics, we’re definitely excited to see her in the film. This means we’ll have three generations of Reyeses in Blue Beetle. Meanwhile, this isn’t Barazza’s first time portraying a beloved abuelita and her performance is sure to be heartwarming.

Harvey Guillén in an undisclosed role

Harvey Guillén has been cast in Blue Beetle in an undisclosed role. Guillén is best known for portraying Guillermo de la Cruz in the TV series, What We Do in the Shadows. He is also set to voice Nightwing in the Harley Quinn animated TV series. So far, details of his Blue Beetle role are being kept strictly under wraps, though rumors have suggested Guillén is playing a key role. The film has been pretty forthcoming about the roles of its cast, so the mystery surrounding Guillén is definitely interesting. It might point to him being a highly recognizable comic book character. For now, we just have to wait and see who Guillén will portray.

(featured image: DC Universe)

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