Among the upcoming DC movies roster is Blue Beetle, which reportedly started rolling its cameras this week in Atlanta, Georgia, with Cobra Kai’s Xolo Maridueña set to play the titular hero and Susan Sarandon portraying the film’s big bad. With the production underway, a rumor started floating around that none other than Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis could be part of the DCEU project as well. So is he joining Blue Beetle?
The roots of the rumor come from a since deleted casting call (via Comicbook.com) for a stand-in role for Blue Beetle. The post was seeking a body double for someone matching the complexion of Jason Sudeikis, with a photo of the actor used as a reference with his eyes blurred out. Following the rumor, a source has come forward to Entertainment Weekly to share that Sudeikis was not cast in Blue Beetle.
Perhaps the confusion lies in the use of an image of the Ted Lasso star. The casting call was “seeking blonde and brunette talent for a still photo shoot” for June 1 in Atlanta, Georgia with a complexion that “matches” a red carpet image that was clearly the former Saturday Night Live star. The ad even called the listing “Ted Body Double.”
Blue Beetle is being directed by Angel Manuel Soto, who previously helmed te critically-acclaimed indie film Charm City Kings, and also has an upcoming Transformers film being kept under wraps. The DCEU project was penned by Mexican writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer, and it will be this superhero franchise’s first film to star a Latino superhero.
The movie stars Xolo Maridueña, who has famously played Miguel Diaz on Cobra Kai since 2018. The 20-year-old actor will play Jaime Reyes, a teen who uncovers the Blue Beetle scarab that summons a suit of extraterrestrial armor that gives him super-speed, super-strength and the ability to create weapons. Also notably in the Blue Beetle cast list is George Lopez, Mayans M.C’s Raoul Max Trujillo and a predominantly Latin cast including Bruna Marquezine, Belissa Escobedo, Harvey Guillén, Adriana Barraza, Elpidia Carrillo and Damián Alcázar.
Blue Beetle has previously been seen in animation projects, including on the series Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Boy Meets World’s Will Friedle, who recently showed his support for the live-action debut. The actor told CinemaBlend said he’s looking forward to seeing a Latino actor take on Jaime Reyes “for the first time,” along with already being a Cobra Kai fan.
Blue Beetle is set for release next summer, on August 18, 2023. Before we see this exciting live-action DCEU film, we can first look forward Black Adam on October 21 and Shazam! Fury of the Gods on December 16, along with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and The Flash in the first half of 2023.