When does 'Blue Beetle' come out in theaters? Details to know about superhero movie
Beetlemania is brewing in El Paso as "Blue Beetle," the Warners Brothers/DC Comics film featuring the first Latino superhero, officially opens in theaters Friday, Aug. 18. Some theaters are showing the film Thursday, Aug. 17.
Talented El Paso artist, Jesus' Cimi' Alvarado, is working on a mural of the superhero on the front wall of the theater and has a quick shot of his work in the film. Skater and Juarez filmmaker Luis Galindo Hernandez was hired to get a van painted in tribute to Blue Beetle and the van has been spotted at various skating events around town.
El Paso filmmaker Valentin Sandoval, who is creating a docuseries for Warner Brothers on the Blue Beetle promotion said the hoopla is well deserved.
"He's based off an El Paso inspiration. The character was from El Paso in the 1939 novel. And I think this is so serendipitous in terms of timing with all the turn of events — all that is happening globally, including the mass shooting on Aug. 3 and the immigration issues with different administrations ― all of this and the fact that El Paso plays the birthplace of an archetypal superhero.
"I know we can say it's fantasy. It's a creative interpretation and it has its place in unlimited space. But I think it's contrary to that. I think it's really the power of the story, the power of the human archetype to persevere over obstacles inwardly and outwardly. I think that's what the story of "Blue Beetle" is — the story of Latinos that are making the movie behind the camera and in front the camera," he said. "The whole cast is Latino family."
Here are all the ways Blue Beetle is being celebrated in El Paso.
Where is Blue Beetle from?
In the comics, Jaime Reyes is from El Paso. In the movie, the story takes place in Palmera City, a new locale created for the film. Producers wanted their superhero to have his iconic place like Gotham for Batman.
El Pasoan James Terrazas, who got to see the advanced screening, was skeptical before seeing the movie and disappointed the story no longer took place in El Paso.
Afterward, Terrazas said the film is a must-see for El Pasoans.
"Despite the movie's changes, I am elated to say this movie is the definition of Hispanic representation in the modern day. This movie shines the brightest when it's focused on the Reyes family. The dynamic of the family was warm and very relatable. Audiences shouldn't be surprised to hear whispers of "Ese eres tú (that's you!)" in auditoriums around the country. The dialogue exchange between the family was as authentic as it gets," Terrazas said. "Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer really captured the voices of various family members of a Mexican household."
Fans left the film with souvenirs, including Blue Beetle T-shirts, fans and tote bags. The theater also sells Blue Beetle-shaped popcorn containers for $25 plus tax.
Blue Beetle release date
The movie's national release date is Friday, Aug. 18 but some theaters have show times on Thursday, Aug. 17.
Blue Beetle run time
The movie is 2 hours and 7 minutes.
Blue Beetle suit in El Paso
The scarab suit worn by Xolo Maridueña, as Jaime Reyes, is in town and on display through Aug. 28 at the Cinemark Tinseltown Las Palmas XD, at 11855 Gateway West Blvd.
Blue Beetle Rotten Tomatoes
As of Aug. 17, the film has a "Tomatometer" score of 81%.
Blue Beetle gives nod to El Paso in superhero film
Several El Pasoans got to see an advance screening of "Blue Beetle" Monday, Aug. 14, through a Warner Bros. promotion and it was evident they found the flick entertaining and with plenty of Latino flare.
Spanish is spoken throughout the movie, including common swear words and monikers uttered in Hispanic homes like "pendejo" and "cabezon." Even the lines preceding the action-packed fight scenes have more punch in Spanish.
Fans who got to see the movie noticed and cheered when they saw an El Paso Street sign and the main character, Jaime Reyes, having an Old Sheepdog Brewery labeled beer with his sister on their home's roof.
And there might be a few more El Paso easter eggs fans can look out for.
El Paso brewery featured in Blue Beetle
Old Sheepdog Brewery owner Gus Delgado is another proud El Pasoan, knowing his beer and growler are featured in the superhero movie. Delgado got to hang out with the director Angel Manuel Soto in El Paso last year to get a feel of the city Reyes' character is from.
"Our growler comes out on every scene that is filmed inside the house, on top of the fridge," Delgado said. He owns the brewery with his wife Brisa.
"Even though it was not filmed in El Paso, it's very relatable and the interaction between the family is relatable to what I grew up with. It does have that feeling of being El Paso," Delgado said. "And I still have no words for having screentime for such a small business. As a superhero fan, to now be able to say we're a part of the DC world, it's pretty amazing."
The business had a contest for someone to design the label for the Blue Corn Lager that is being promoted as part of the movie fandom. The winner, Christin Apodaca, was chosen by Soto.
Blue Beetle mural goes up on Cinemark Tinseltown
El Paso artist Jesus' Cimi' Alvarado, who prides himself in documenting the history of the Mexican American community in his work, was honored to have his mural work featured in the film, if only for a few seconds. And now he is also painting a mural of Blue Beetle along with the Star on the Mountain on the front facade of Cinemark Tinseltown. The artist has been spending a few hours every day atop a crane to have it completed by Thursday.
Alvarado said he got to spend time with the director showing him around Segundo Barrio, with Soto finding similarities between the historic neighborhood and his own in Puerto Rico. Alvarado, later on, was invited to Puerto Rico to paint a mural that is flashed in the film's first few minutes. The mural features a Zapatista woman holding a baby with Puerto Rican activist Lolita Lebrón in the background.
Alvarado said he almost got emotional seeing the film and a true representation of a close-knit Mexican family.
"I was talking to my daughter and wife about that. I got a little emotional through the movie, maybe it's my age, but it was great to see so much representation of our culture, of our people, in a film like this," he said.
"(The director) really captures the Mexican American superhero ― there are a lot of references that are Chicano, and Mexican. You see the Chapulin Colorado (a comical but Mexican superhero in his own right) — a lot of us grew up with that and you see the Adelita in the grandma," Alvarado said.
He added, "Angel Manuel Soto is Puerto Rican which is not the same culture. He did a lot of great research. Now we have a superhero in the DC comic world that is going to represent."
El Paso filmmaker creating docuseries for Warner Brothers/DC Comics
El Pasoan Valentin Sandoval, a filmmaker for over 25 years, is excited about working on a docuseries on "Blue Beetle."
Sandoval's Power at the Pass production team is documenting the mural's development and filming promotional content with local heroes and influencers to speak on 'Blue Beetle' being a fully Latino-centered cast and the cultural relevance of a broader Latino representation on a global scale.
"I think the story of Cimi and Juárez filmmaker Luis Galindo is that they are archetypes of Fronterizo artists who are emblematic of a collective family. And I'm talking to other people involved in the arts and it's really more about El Paso and Juarez being a portal of creative tension," he said.
"It's a celebration of that Latino/Chicano/Hispanic ethos here in the Frontera," he said of the video, which will be finished Thursday, Aug. 17. It will run about 20 to 30 minutes.
Sandoval said he will be sharing snippets on social media, including Power at the Pass. He said Warner Brothers still has to decide on distribution.
María Cortés González may be reached at 915-546-6150, mcortes@elpasotimes.com and @EPTMaria on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: 'Blue Beetle' movie details to know including run time, popcorn bucket
