‘Cobra Kai’ Star Xolo Maridueña In Talks For HBO Max’s ‘Blue Beetle’ Movie
Xolo Maridueña, one of the breakout stars of Cobra Kai, is now in talks to play the lead role of Jaime Reyes in the upcoming film adaptation of DC's Blue Beetle. The movie, which is produced by Warner Bros. for HBO Max, will be the first DC film to place a Latino character front and center.
Blue Beetle is set to be directed by Charm City Kings director Angel Manuel Soto. The new superhero movie is written by Mexican-born writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, best known for writing Universal's Scarface remake and Sony's Miss Bala.
Throughout the DC Comics, the title of Blue Beetle has been claimed by three different characters. However, this movie will focus on the third character to assume the mantle, Mexican-American teen Jaime Reyes. While the DCEU has featured other Latino/Latina characters in supporting roles — Jay Hernandez as El Diablo in Suicide Squad and Rosie Perez as Renee Montoya in Birds of Prey, for instance — this is the first stand-alone title with a Latino actor as the lead.
On Cobra Kai, Maridueña plays Miguel Diaz, Johnny Lawrence's neighbor and top student at his dojo. The Netflix original series is a continuation of the Karate Kid franchise. Cobra Kai is heading into its fourth season, which will premiere in the fourth quarter of 2021.
According to The Wrap, production on the Blue Beetle movie is slated to begin next early year, with John Rickard producing for HBO Max.