Blue Beetle: Santikos Casa Blanca displays the actual Scarab suit amidst the movie's hype

As the fervor for the highly anticipated DC Comics superhero film Blue Beetle continues to rise, Santikos Casa Blanca theater in San Antonio showcases the authentic Scarab suit.

The suit, worn by actor Xolo Maridueña during the movie's production, will be on display for moviegoers until July 31, 2023. The film, featuring Maridueña as Jaime Reyes, the protagonist, is slated for a nationwide release on August 18, 2023.

In the movie's plot, Jaime Reyes is a recent college graduate who, upon returning home, stumbles upon an ancient alien artifact known as the Scarab. Unwittingly becoming its symbiotic host, Jaime's life takes a dramatic turn as he evolves into the superhero Blue Beetle. Santikos has shared intriguing details about the making of the Blue Beetle costume.

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Unpredictability and weapon generation: Extraordinary features of the Blue Beetle suit

An alien marvel: The Scarab Suit comes alive at Santikos Casa Blanca (Image via Santikos)

The journey from conceptualization to the final product took the costume designer Mayes C. Rubeo nine months and over 500 prototype designs. The successful creation of the suit was made possible due to a commendable collaborative effort with Los Angeles-based Ironhead Studios.

Every single element of the Blue Beetle suit was tailored to perfection. From the concept, digital designs, and 3D printing to fabrics and physical armor components, all were customized for an exact fit, enabling Maridueña to embody the character of Blue Beetle convincingly.

The suit's fabric was imbued with an alien-like pattern, with every piece meticulously crafted to echo the otherworldly nature of the Scarab's alien biotechnology.

The movie presents the suit as a unique piece of alien biotechnology, which doubles as protective armor and, to some extent, a part of the host's skin.

Originating from the Scarab, a sentient being named Khaji-da, the suit symbiotically bonds with its host, Jaime Reyes, in this scenario. While primarily designed to offer protection, the suit can also display unpredictability. Moreover, it possesses the remarkable ability to generate any weapon the host conceives.

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James Gunn's positive response: Actor Xolo Maridueña shares feedback

James Gunn impressed: Xolo Maridueña reflects on the director's words (Image via Warner Bros)

According to actor Xolo Maridueña, James Gunn, a significant force behind the development of the new universe for DC's films, has already seen the Blue Beetle movie and responded favorably.

"I just remember James Gunn has this really excited energy to him all the time, But them coming into this position of the movie already being made, and then being like, 'All right [mimes rifling through a filing cabinet as if rummaging through the movie], let's see what we have here' – it was very rewarding for them to actually respond well to it and enjoy it.

He continued:

"They had their notes here and there story-wise, but I think, in capturing the essence of Jaime and the Reyes family, [they] think we did a really great job," said Maridueña, speaking about Gunn's feedback."

DC Studios describes the upcoming movie as the transformative journey of Jaime Reyes, a recent college graduate who unexpectedly finds himself possessing the ancient alien biotechnology, the Scarab.

This fortuitous encounter endows him with a potent suit of armor filled with extraordinary and unpredictable powers, completely altering his destiny as he becomes the superhero Blue Beetle.

The film boasts a rich and diverse cast, featuring Adriana Barraza as Jaime's grandmother, Damían Alcázar as his father, Elpidia Carrillo as his mother, George Lopez as Jaime's Uncle Rudy, and Susan Sarandon as Victoria Kord, the CEO of Kord Industries, among others.

With its debut in theaters scheduled for August 18, 2023, the Blue Beetle is a much-awaited superhero film that promises a unique and thrilling experience for all movie enthusiasts and comic fans.