'Blue Beetle' director brings DC's first Latino superhero to life: 'We never get this chance'

From the get-go, Puerto Rican director Àngel Manuel Soto understood the responsibility and pride of making history with "Blue Beetle" (in theaters Friday), DC's first Latino-led superhero movie.

"We never get this chance to tell stories like this," he says. "Much less, to show us as heroes to the world (and) in a cinematic universe that's so followed and in a genre that includes us as sidekicks at best."

In "Blue Beetle," 22-year-old Jaime Reyes − played by "Cobra Kai" standout Xolo Maridueña − returns home as a college grad, the first in his family, but his hometown of Palmera City is not the same as he left it. Gentrification and displacement have affected his family's business and childhood home, and Jaime, as the eldest child, wants to take on the responsibility of helping his loved ones financially while also finding his purpose.

That is until he crosses paths with an unlikely love interest. Seeking a job at Kord Industries, Jaime runs into Jenny Kord (Bruna Marquezine) − niece of CEO Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon) − and is handed a luminous blue scarab, an ancient relic of alien biotechnology, that changes the trajectory of the Reyes family.

Directing "Blue Beetle" and bringing a close-knit Mexican American family to life on the big screen − portrayed by a largely Mexican cast − was not something Soto took lightly. "We wanted to get the story right because we felt our Latinidad was just authentically ourselves," he says. "I did not have to try to be Latin, and a lot of what happens in the movie are experiences the actors have had because they're Latino too."

Even then, Soto says "Blue Beetle" isn't trying to "beat you with the Latino card because we are Latino."

"Why not hone in on what makes us essential and have the freedom to be authentically ourselves and show the world that we can be superheroes?"

Family is at the heart of 'Blue Beetle' and Jaime Reyes' superpowers

Jaime Reyes' love for his family is what gives him the strength to step into his power.

"Blue Beetle" is the first time we see a superhero share the load of his superpowers with his family. Perhaps because it's nearly impossible to keep a secret from them, Soto says: "We always joked around that it's very hard to keep a secret from your mom − from your Latina mom, especially."

Having Jaime's family witness his transformation into Blue Beetle after the scarab chooses him to be its symbiotic host sets the tone for the hero he's supposed to be. "A hero of the people, a hero of the working class, and a hero that has those strong family values," Soto says.

His protective mother (Elpidia Carrillo), sensible father (Damián Alcázar), a determined Nana (Adriana Barraza), kooky uncle (George Lopez) and a sarcastic, humbling sister (Belissa Escobedo) are not only there to "give him wisdom but also be active participants in Jaime becoming Blue Beetle," the director adds. "They all have heroic arcs because at the end of the day, the scarab gave (Jaime) superpowers but it's what's they find within themselves that makes them superheroes."

Vicks VapoRub cameos and uncles driving Toyota Tacomas aside, the most Latino thing about "Blue Beetle" is the ardent love the Reyes family has for Jaime and one another.

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'Blue Beetle's Latino stars miss their blue carpet moment amid Hollywood actors strike

As the SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America strikes continue, the "Blue Beetle" cast isn't setting foot on a red − or blue − carpet. It's been a bittersweet run for Soto, who's gone at it alone, without his breakout star Maridueña, comedian George Lopez or Oscar nominee Adriana Barraza.

"I'm supporting them and carrying them in my heart," he says. "Sometimes I wear T-shirts with their pictures so they're always with me because during production, they had my back. Now it's my turn." (At Tuesday's celeb-free Los Angeles premiere, the director carried a picture of Maridueña's face with him.)

Maridueña's arrival in the DC movie universe would have made for a momentous premiere, as Soto's film marks the first superhero to debut since James Gunn and Peter Safran became CEOs of DC Studios.

Soto and his "Blue Beetle" family have a Hollywood herd of 27 Latino organizations supporting the success of the film, calling on the community in an open letter to "amplify the work that countless Latinos have worked so hard to create" amid the strikes.

"They're sacrificing being here to fight the good fight so that actors can get better pay, so writers can get better pay and be treated fairly," Soto says. "As inconvenient as it is, it's more inconvenient to not get paid properly."

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Director Àngel Manuel Soto wants to empower young Latinos 'to be heroes of their own stories'

The milestone of "Blue Beetle" has been a long time coming, and Soto is basking in the moment.

"I hope it motivates people to see that it can be done," he says. "We can make good movies too. We can have a lot of fun and we can be heroes in our own stories."

Originally developed for Max and slated exclusively for streaming, alongside the now-axed "Batgirl" film (starring Dominican actress Leslie Grace), "Blue Beetle" dodged that fate when Warner Bros. decided on a theatrical release and a reported $120 million budget.

"I want this to be a box-office success because that's how Hollywood works, but if kids are able to see themselves, to feel seen, to be empowered − that does a world of a difference," Soto says. "We have been asked to hide who we are for so long, it was pretty refreshing to just let ourselves be."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Blue Beetle,' DC's first Latino superhero, is all about family, love