Here's How To Watch Blue Beetle At Home
Ángel Manuel Soto and Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer's "Blue Beetle" (check out our review here) may not have been a box office success, but the latest venture from DC Studios and one of the last films of the DC Cinematic Universe before James Gunn and Peter Safran revamp the studio is thankfully one of the most fun. Not to mention, it's also one of the rare instances where a superhero movie embraces cultural specificity, instead of just perpetuating the same ol' white stories over and over again. If you've yet to see the film, here's what to expect.
Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) is a recent college grad returning home and ready to take on the world, but a lot has changed over the last four years, and home looks quite a bit different. Thrust into a bit of a quarter-life crisis, Jaime searches for purpose when he comes across an ancient relic of alien biotechnology: the Scarab. Jaime is chosen by the Scarab to be its new, symbiotic host, which comes with the unbelievable perk of a super suit that gifts Jaime unpredictable powers. He went looking for purpose and found his destiny as the superhero, Blue Beetle.
"Blue Beetle" features a phenomenal ensemble cast of majority Latino performers, including Adriana Barraza ("Rambo: Last Blood," "Thor"), Damían Alcázar ("Narcos," "Narcos: Mexico"), Elpidia Carrillo ("Mayans M.C.," the "Predator" films), Bruna Marquezine ("Maldivas," "God Save the King"), Raoul Max Trujillo (the "Sicario" films, "Mayans M.C."), with Oscar winner Susan Sarandon ("Monarch," "Dead Man Walking"), and George Lopez (the "Rio and "Smurf" franchises). The film also stars Belissa Escobedo ("American Horror Stories," "Hocus Pocus 2") and Harvey Guillén ("What We Do in the Shadows").
Now that the theatrical run has come to an end, here's how you can watch "Blue Beetle" at home.
When can Blue Beetle be streamed, rented, or purchased?
"Blue Beetle" will be available for early premium digital ownership at home for $24.99, which will include all of the special features of the physical media release. 48-hour rental options via PVOD will also be available for the suggested retail price of $19.99 on participating digital platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, and Vudu. This digital option will become available on September 26, 2023.
However, if you're holding out for a physical, tangible copy to add to your shelves, "Blue Beetle" will be available to own on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD on October 31, 2023. The film will still be available to own in high definition and standard definition from participating digital retailers at this time.
The film will also eventually wind up on the Max streaming service as is customary for all DC films, but a date has not been provided.
What special features will Blue Beetle have?
Special features fans rejoice, because "Blue Beetle" has some pretty cool behind-the-scenes featurettes and a whole documentary in store! The supplemental material as part of the "Blue Beetle" premium digital ownership, 4K UHD, and Blu-ray boast the following:
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"Generations: Blue Beetle" — a 4-part documentary told in distinct chapters that explore the journeys of actors and filmmakers bringing "Blue Beetle" to the big screen for the first time ever. According to the official press release, "Audiences will be immersed in the POV of filmmakers who showcase their experiences on set and in their creative studios making the story of this DC character a reality."
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Nana Knows Best — a featurette that explores Nana's transformation from an adorable 'abuelita' into a machine gun-wielding revolutionary. The featurette also includes some of her most fun moments on set throughout production.
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Scarab Vision — a 2-part featurette hosted by Xolo Maridueña featuring scene study walk-throughs that showcase how the scarab works and the role it plays in some of Blue Beetle's most epic moments.
All of these special features sound awesome, but "Nana Knows Best" sounds like a roaring good time. Adriana Barraza, who played Nana in the film, is a prolific performer and telenovela living legend. She's also absolutely hysterical so getting the chance to see her goofing off on the set of a big-budget superhero movie is a recipe for greatness.
What movies to watch before Blue Beetle
Right from the first trailer, it was clear that "Blue Beetle" was trying to capture less of the gritty realism of the Snyderverse approach to DC Heroes, and more of the bombastic, colorful superhero films of the 1990s. It's a film that isn't afraid to lean into the inherent silliness of superheroes and comic books, and the supporting characters wonderfully support that tonal choice. "Blue Beetle" feels like the live-action version of a Saturday morning cartoon, and that's not a bad thing in the slightest.
As a somewhat standalone film in the DC Universe, there's no requirement to watch any of the "Justice League" or "Batman" films that came before it. In all honesty, you're better suited to looking back a few decades to find films that capture a similar energy.
Personally, I'd recommend checking out films like "The Phantom," "The Rocketeer," "The Shadow," and "Steel" as spiritual ancestors of the film. You could also dive into TV fare like the forgotten "M.A.N.T.I.S." or any variation of "The Tick." For good measure, you could also dive back into a world like "Freakazoid!," to capture some of that edgy teen goodness injected throughout "Blue Beetle."