James Gunn left a lot of people confused when he revealed that although Superman: Legacy is the first feature-length installment in the DCU, Xolo Mariduena’s Blue Beetle would be its first character.
It’s easy to see why the co-CEO had so many people scratching their heads given that it hasn’t been explicitly spelled out whether or not the film belongs to the same mythology as the likes of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, or if it dwells within its own reality that could potentially be tethered to the impending reboot further down the line.
Director Angel Manuel Soto has stepped in to clear the air in an interview with Total Film, though, even if his statement only serves to muddy the waters further depending on how you choose to interpret it.
“We are part of the universe, we are part of the world, we are part of the plans that they have been creating for the future instalments of the DCU. But we are not tied to all the films from the past. Yes, our movie lives in the world where superheroes exist. But that doesn’t mean that a certain event, or certain alliance, or certain things from the past dictate where our film is going.”
So, Blue Beetle is part of the plans for the future of the DCU, but it isn’t connected to all of the previous chapters, some of which may or may not end up being canonized themselves further down the line. On top of that, prior events that could impact other film and television projects will not affect on the creative direction for the time being, which is of course subject to change dependent on how the new canon unfolds.
Maybe – hopefully, even – it’ll all become a bit more transparent in August, when the former HBO Max exclusive comes to theaters.
