Last week we finally got our first look at Angel Manuel Soto’s Blue Beetle with the films blockbuster first trailer. Now we’re hearing from the man himself during a special launch event for the trailer in Los Angeles
Soto, along with star Xolo Maridueña, sat down with members of the press and host Tiffany Smith to unpick bringing the movie to life, shooting in IMAX and his biggest influences in bringing Jaime Reyes to the big screen,
It’s widely known that the project was first planned for release on HBO Max. But shortly before cameras rolled the budget was given a cash injection to shoot entirely in IMAX and bring the project to theatrical release. Speaking of shooting for IMAX, Soto was keen to stress the benefits of the large format technique:
“IMAX is the sh*t. It’s the immersive aspect of it. At least I try to be as immersive as I can with the projects that I do. The scope of IMAX allows you to be swallowed whole in to this, into the frame. It’s is very spiritual that way so it almost feels like you can have a physical connection to it. Being able to see our community represented, not just as cliches but as being a hero, what better way than to see it on the biggest screen possible.”
In case you missed it, check out the film’s trailer in the player below:
The Farm director also discussed bringing authenticity to the Reyes family through the film’s casting:
“So one of the things that we really wanted to do with the cast was to be able to be as authentic as we can. We wanted to tap in to the three generations. We wanted to see the first immigrant family, they bring their sons and then their sons are born here. So we wanted to tap in to that authentically. Like how Xolo was born here and is Mexican American as Belissa Escobedo – she plays Milagro – is. Then you have characters like George Lopez right who’s been here for a minute and he’s like a national treasure.”
Finally, the director touched on how the Latino heritage of the cast and crew was an asset to the film and not a reason to think of it as something separate to every other comic book movie:
“Latino is not a genre. We are not a genre. We are not a buzzword either. So it is a superhero movie that happens to have a Latino at the forefront.”
Starring alongside Maridueña are Adriana Barraza as Jaime’s grandmother, Nana, Damían Alcázar as his father, Elpidia Carrillo as his mother, Bruna Marquezine as Jenny Kord, Raoul Max Trujillo as Carapax, with Oscar winner Susan Sarandon as Victoria Kord, and George Lopez as Jaime’s Uncle Rudy. The film also stars Belissa Escobedo as Jaime’s sister, Milagro, and Harvey Guillén as Dr. Sanchez.
Blue Beetle comes exclusively to cinemas on August 18, 2023.
