‘Blue Beetle’ earns less at the box office than first believed, falling even shorter of the one condition the director outlined for a sequel

Having already been confirmed as part of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DCU, the team behind Blue Beetle can at least draw solace from knowing there’s a spot on the roster for the title hero when the franchise’s next reboot begins to take shape.

And yet, things have somehow conspired to get even worse for the well-received origin story, after the weekend box office actuals revealed it earned less money than first thought. Initial estimates had Blue Beetle down for a $25.4 million debut, which wasn’t exactly great considering it ranked as the worst opening frame for a live-action DC superhero since 2004’s Catwoman, but the numbers are lower still.

Revised figures have put its three-day bow at a round $25 million, instantly shaving $400,000 off a tally that wasn’t remarkable in the first place. In an even crueler twist, director Angel Manuel Soto has been open in admitting that the only way he’ll get the chance to make a sequel is if the opening chapter turns a profit, which is growing more unlikely by the day.

That puts the property in a uniquely unwanted position, because it’s hard to imagine the bean-counters at Warner Bros. would give the green light to a second standalone blockbuster for a character who was front-and-center in a flop. Then again, Jaime Reyes has been publicly anointed as a member of the DCU lineup, so he’s guaranteed to return to screens sooner rather than later.

Unfortunately, it may not happen in Blue Beetle 2, but there’s always the Booster Gold series among a number of prospective destinations for the scarab-infused instant favorite to reappear.