An important character is confirmed to die in DC's Blue Beetle, and it's quite tragic.
Blue Beetle is filled with interesting characters led by Xolo Maridueña's titular hero aka Jaime Reyes. Aside from the main hero, the movie's core cast includes the Reyes family.
The exact plot details of the film are still shrouded in secrecy, but trailers have confirmed that it will highlight the hero's origin story, his clash with a dangerous villain, and his bond with his family.
Who Will Die in DC’s Blue Beetle?
Warning - the rest of this article contains spoilers for DC's Blue Beetle.
In the latest issue of MovieMaker magazine, Blue Beetle director Angel Manuel Soto talked about Damián Alcázar’s character, Alberto Reyes AKA Jaime Reyes’ father, and his apparent death in the film.
When MovieMaker's Joshua Encinias reflected on his dad's death while also talking about how Blue Beetle referenced Macario, it prompted Soto to note that Alberto Reyes' death scene is "close to [his] heart:"
“No way. I’m getting goosebumps as you say that. That scene is close to my heart. I have not gone through the hardship that you went through, I can only imagine. And just imagining it, it’s heartbreaking for me. But your reaction was exactly what we were trying to achieve.”
Jaime Reyes actor Xolo Maridueña chimed in, pointing out that Albert Reyes' death scene was his "favorite part" in the movie:
“Damián Alcázar, the actor who plays my father, was so generous and wise and calm. I remember thinking it felt ethereal for Jaime to see his father. but it was just his soul. It wasn’t his body.”
Maridueña continued by reminding everyone to "hug" their parents if they are still alive:
“Jaime didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to his father. I want people to understand that if you have your parents, just hug them, because you never know when it’s the last time.”
Circling back to Soto, the Blue Beetle director opened up on how he was able to ground the fantastic elements of the movie in reality:
"We gave everything to make something special and emotional that connects with audiences, and what you just shared is probably the best compliment I can get. Let’s tell stories that help us heal. I could care less about anything else. You just reinforced the reason why I want to do this.”
Soto also noted how Blue Beetle's exploration of the afterlife is inspired by the Mexican movie Macario.
Soto first talked about his faith, confirming that he practices a religion called "Yoruba:"
“I practice a religion called Yoruba. It’s an Afro-Cuban religion that has roots in Christianity, but it’s mainly an African religion. It’s something that I grew up with by proxy from my mother. I love reading about science and metaphysics and spirituality. I think it’s something that’s super important to explore on your own. I love learning about all religions and faiths and all different denominations.”
Blue Beetle explores the afterlife, with it being inspired "in part" by Gabriel Figueroa's shots in Macario.
For those unaware, Macario is considered one of the best Mexican films ever made. The movie was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 1961 Academy Awards, and it revolves around the titular character who takes a journey to the afterlife.
In Macario, there was a scene where the titular character encounters Death's cavern filled with thousands of candles. Soto referenced that specific scene when Jaime visits Alberto in the afterlife:
“The magic realism of 'Macario' stuck with me. When we were developing that scene, I was like, Man, why don’t we pay homage to the movie that built us? Why don’t we pay homage to the movie that we can say is Latin cinema?' 'Macario’s' magic realism is beautiful and it’s smart like it is in Latin literature, and it’s ours."
Soto also worked with Blue Beetle's VFX department and production designer to pay tribute to Macario's cascading candles:
“There’s no logic to the imagination, except we construct things based on what we have experienced.”
Why Blue Beetle’s Major Death Is Necessary
It is quite unfortunate that Blue Beetle's major death has been spoiled early, but director Angel Manuel Soto and Xolo Maridueña's comments indicate that the demise of Jaime Reyes' father is integral to the movie's story.
While it is cliche to experience the death of a loved one before becoming a loved one, Blue Beetle's handling of this specific storyline has the chance to be unique, mainly due to the exploration of the afterlife.
Based on the trailer, it looks like Alberto Reyes was still alive when Jaime found the Scarab. That said, it's possible that the character's death will happen sometime after Jaime becomes a superhero.
As a result, Jaime Reyes' father's death could be used as a way to propel the titular character's journey to an eventual hero who understands the responsibility of being one.
Meanwhile, Blue Beetle is set to be the next DC movie to premiere in theaters, but it is unknown if the movie is connected to the DCEU or the new DCU.
Despite that, DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn revealed that the titular hero is the first superhero of the DCU.
While the movie's DCU status is up for debate, fans can check Blue Beetle out when it premieres in theaters on August 18.
