The 36th Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards© GettyImages

Xolo Maridueña to return to DCEU, confirms James Gunn

The head of DC Studios said that despite scrapping most characters and films from the DCEU, Maridueña will be featured in future films.


Senior Writer
SEPTEMBER 28, 2023 6:14 PM EDT

Despite a company reshuffling that has scrapped most DC films, Xolo Maridueña is still a part of the DC Extended Universe. Maridueña starred in “Blue Beetle” earlier this year, becoming the first Latino lead in a superhero film.

CinemaCon 2023   Warner Bros. Pictures Presentation© GettyImages
Bruna Marquezine, Angel Manuel Soto, and Maridueña

DC’s co-ceo James Gunn, who’s writing and directing the upcoming “Superman” film, has revealed that Maridueña will still be a part of the new DC cinematic universe. “Xolo Maridueña will continue playing Blue Beetle in the DCU, as Viola Davis will Amanda Waller, and John Cena will Peacemaker,” he wrote on Threads, where he was answering some fan questions.

Still, Gunn implied that while these actors are returning to roles they’ve played before, the characters they’re interpreting will be different than the ones people have previously seen. The new DC films are committed to wiping the slate clean and starting anew with its extensive roster of characters.

Gunn has previously stated that all the stories that have happened in past DC films and TV shows are not part of his new universe. “Nothing is canon until Creature Commandos next year - a sort of aperitif to the DCU - & then a deeper dive into the universe with Superman: Legacy after that,” he wrote.

‘Blue Beetle’s is now streaming on Prime Video

“Blue Beetle” was released earlier this year, and is now available to rent or purchase on Prime Video. The film follows Jaime Reyes (Maridueña), a recent college graduate who’s just returned home and has trouble finding a job and a path in life. He then comes in contact with the Scarab, a tech device that gives him superpowers and completely changes his life. It costars Bruna Marquezine, Adriana Barraza, Damián Alcázar, Raoul Max Trujillo, Belissa Escobedo, Harvey Guillén, George Lopez, and Susan Sarandon.