DC Studios

Blue Beetle will return in the highly anticipated Superman sequel, ‘Man of Tomorrow’

Xolo Maridueña returns in another James Gunn production for DC Studios.

Update: Jul 15th, 2026 21:17 CEST

The new DCU, now under the creative leadership of James Gunn, continues to take shape with strategic decisions that are completely upending the expectations of comic book and science fiction fans. ‘Man of Tomorrow’, the direct sequel to the most recent Superman movie, is the talk of the town after confirming Jaime Reyes’ return to the big screen: Xolo Maridueña will once again don the alien symbiotic suit to join the cast of the new Superman movie.

The exclusive was revealed by Variety, confirming that Maridueña is now fully integrated into the film’s production. 'Man of Tomorrow' is currently in active production under the direction of James Gunn himself, and its global theatrical release date has been formally set for July 9, 2027. Although the character’s solo film faced challenges upon its release, the character managed to captivate audiences and now has a second chance.

How will Blue Beetle and Supergirl be connected to the new Superman movie?

The inclusion of Jaime Reyes in ‘Man of Tomorrow’ isn’t the only major move James Gunn has in store to shake up the Superman universe. The director had previously hinted that actress Milly Alcock, who plays Supergirl, would play a hugely significant role in the plot of this sequel, serving as a central figure in the story’s family and heroic conflicts. “I’ve liked a lot of the iterations of Supergirl. Helen Slater was great; all of them really have been great versions. But I do think that this Supergirl is apart because she’s not so much like Superman”.

The addition of Blue Beetle’s alien beetle technology and the new Supergirl’s tough, independent attitude promise to stand in stark contrast to Kal-El’s moral integrity and optimism, offering a dynamic group dynamic never before seen in DC Studios productions.

What happened to the ‘Blue Beetle’ movie?

Originally released in 2023, the movie ‘Blue Beetle’ had the misfortune of premiering right in the middle of the turbulent and uncertain corporate transition from the old cinematic universe (the so-called “Snyderverse”) to the massive restructuring planned by James Gunn and Peter Safran. Commercially, the 2023 film performed extremely modestly in theaters worldwide, grossing only $130.8 million globally—a very tight margin given an estimated production budget of between $104 million and $125 million; however, Gunn always expressed his interest in preserving Xolo’s portrayal within the new official canon.