After the continued success ofDCfilms such asAquamanandJokerand the imminent release ofThe Suicide SquadandThe Batman, Warner Bros. has gotten busy planning and greenlighting more films based on heroes and villains in the DC Comics universe. Now, following the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery, the upcomingBlue Beetlefilm will reportedly have a release plan that dodges theaters in favor of HBO Max.
The Blue Beetle character has an extensive history within DC Comics, with the hero’s first iteration debuting in 1939. Since then, there have beenmultiple iterations of Blue Beetle, but the most popular version of the character at the current moment is the third one, in which a Hispanic teenager named Jaime Reyes morphs with the original Blue Beetle scarab into a battle suit that he uses for heroic actions. Warner Bros.' planned film adaptation will focus on the Reyes version of Blue Beetle, withCharm City Kingsdirector Angel Manuel Soto attached to direct.
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Now, Warner Bros. seems to have made the decision to relegateBlue Beetleto a release exclusively on HBO Max. This decision follows the choice by Warner Bros. to release projects involvingBatgirlandStatic Shockto HBO Maxinstead of in theaters. The news was found in a report published by the Los Angeles Times regarding the merge between Warner Bros. and Discovery, which briefly listed films slated for release on HBO Max, including a remake ofHouse Partyby Lebron James' production company and a Latinx reimagining ofFather of the Bride.
The decision comes at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic tested the viability of theatrical exhibition as a whole, shutting down theaters for months and subjecting braver releases such asTenetandThe New Mutantsto disappointing box office grosses. Even though theaters are making a return, studios and distributors have likely kept the potential pitfalls of theatrical releases and the increased viability of streaming platforms in mind when deciding where to release their films. With this in mind, films likeThe Flash,Shazam 2, andBlack Adam, which are all still slated for theatrical release, make obvious sense for exhibition due to proven audience engagement with those specific franchises.
However, the subjugation ofBatgirl,Static Shock, andBlue Beetleto HBO Max has invoked vocal criticisms from fans and film enthusiasts for a variety of reasons. One reason is the unwillingness to position an underexposed superhero to wide audiences in full confidence like studios do withfilms starring Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, and other heroes who have been household names for decades. Another reason is the perceived unwillingness to place a female or minority superhero on the big screen in favor of assigning that superhero to the comparatively less bombastic sphere of streaming.
Whether Warner Bros. reconsiders its decision to releaseBlue Beetleon HBO Max remains to be seen, but fans can abide in the fact that the studio seems dedicated to the project, and that the story of Jaime Reyes as Blue Beetle may be getting the film adaptation it deserves. Additional film projects that Warner Bros. is working on includeThe Flash,Black Adam,Shazam 2, and much more.
