Blue Beetle's future in James Gunn's DCU gets promising update from star Xolo Maridueña – including a new show out in 2026

We have some good news for those who enjoyed Blue Beetle in 2023 – Xolo Maridueña has confirmed that Jaime Reyes is coming back next year with a brand-new animated show, while a live-action sequel might get "drafted up" at some point.

DC fans weren't sure about the future of the character, since Blue Beetle was one of the last movies released in the DCEU before James Gunn and Peter Safran took over with the remodeled DCU. However, Gunn confirmed that they wanted the young superhero to stay, although there have been no official announcements about a second movie.

For now, Maridueña is reprising his role soon in an untitled animated series that was announced last summer. "I'm ready to come back. We're hitting hard this animated project, hoping to get this settled out this year to show everyone next year," he told The Direct during the Saturn Awards last weekend, confirming the show is releasing at some point in 2026.

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When asked about a new Blue Beetle live-action movie, Maridueña stressed that he hasn't heard anything about it so far, but trusts Gunn's word, and hopes the sequel will get "drafted up" sooner rather than later.

"Look, he's [Gunn] got his hands in his kitchen. I don't want to walk in while the chef is doing his thing. But I can say that once they're finished with this three-course meal, I'm ready. And look, I have no reason to believe that he's lying. Like, whatever, we're adults, say whatever you want to say! I'm just happy to have done this first one and I'll continue to spread the word about that while we get the second one drafted up," he said.

Mireia is a UK-based culture journalist and critic. She previously worked as Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy, and her work as a freelance writer has appeared in WeLoveCinema and Spanish magazines Fotogramas, Esquire, and Elle. She is also a published author, having written a book about Studio Ghibli's 'Kiki's Delivery Service' in 2023. Talking about anime and musicals is the best way to grab her attention.