A 2023 DC Movie That Shouldn't Have Flopped Is Hitting Netflix Very Soon

The new DC film universe, under the stewardship of James Gunn, got off to a fast theatrical start in 2025 with "Superman." While it effectively killed the previous DC Extended Universe overseen by Zack Snyder, there were a few projects from that era that remain in play. One of those is "Blue Beetle," an overlooked DC movie from 2023, whose title character might have a bright future in the DCU. And while the film itself flopped in theaters, the good news is that it will be hitting Netflix very soon.

"Blue Beetle," starring Xolo Maridueña as the eponymous bug-themed hero, is directed by Ángel Manuel Soto and centers on a recent law school graduate named Jaime Reyes. Despite being a success in school, Reyes returns home only to find his family struggling, but he is soon given a job at Kord Industries — which is holding an ancient otherworldly relic that falls into Reyes' hands and gives him incredible superpowers.

Adapting a classic (if B-list) DC Comics superhero, "Blue Beetle" was just as underappreciated as the character has been for decades. Despite good reviews and decent word of mouth, audiences simply didn't show up in theaters, and its failure was part of a decline that led Warner Bros. to pull the plug on the DCEU and hand the reins of the superhero stable to Gunn. But with the character possibly being folded into Gunn's new DCU, there's no better time to check out "Blue Beetle" on Netflix when it drops on November 17.

Despite the film not performing well in theaters, it seems the head honchos at Warner Bros. and DC Studios still see a possible future for "Blue Beetle" as a franchise. But as of now at least, that future won't be on the big screen: the character — portrayed again by Xolo Maridueña — will reportedly return in his own animated series. 

"There's only one Blue Beetle," Maridueña said in a 2024 interview with Hablemos de Cine (translated and relayed by Deadline), confirming that he will indeed reprise his role as Jaime Reyes in animation. "I'm so excited to get to continue the story of Jaime, [it's] an honor, and I just can't wait to see where the heck he goes. It's still so early but I just know it's about to be the next craziest anime."

Miguel Puga is listed as the show's director and showrunner, while Cristian Martinez — who wrote for Marvel's "Ironheart" series on Disney+ — will be head writer on the series. The director and screenwriter of the "Blue Beetle" film, Angel Manuel Soto and Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, will produce the series. Though there's no official word on when it will arrive, the "Blue Beetle" series is the second announced animated project in the DCU, following 2024's "Creature Commandos."