Viral Delight: Unofficial Blue Beetle burger becomes an internet sensation 

Fans of DC's upcoming Blue Beetle film decided to drum up some publicity with an ingenious, if unofficial, viral campaign. This self-started movement was prompted by concerns that Warner Bros. was neglecting to properly promote the movie, which is set to be released in a month.

Slated for an August 18, 2023, release, the eagerly anticipated superhero movie, chronicles the adventures of Xolo Maridueña's character, Jaime Reyes. In the plot, Reyes discovers an ancient alien biotechnology relic called the Scarab, transforming him into the iconic DC Comics superhero, Blue Beetle.

The movie is a landmark release, boasting a $120 million budget and the DC franchise's first film with a Latino lead. However, fan concerns regarding the lack of promotional efforts have been mounting. The superhero movie appears overshadowed by other summer blockbusters such as Barbie, Oppenheimer, and new sequels for Indiana Jones as well as Mission Impossible.

In response, fans initiated an unofficial publicity campaign, mimicking the Spider-Verse burger's iconic red aesthetic with a nonexistent but virally sensational Blue Beetle burger.

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The reality of the Blue Beetle burger

Bite into reality: Exploring the unofficial burger hype that gripped the web (Image via Warner Bros)

Despite its online buzz, the Blue Beetle-inspired Burger King meal remains a figment of fan imagination. The images circulating online depicting a movie-themed Burger King meal are fan-made fabrications designed to boost hype for the upcoming film.

The Twitter fan account @NebsGoodTakes spearheaded this campaign, announcing several faux tie-in products for the movie alongside the Blue Beetle burger.

These included a soundtrack album featuring artists like Bad Bunny, Blackpink, and even a Nintendo game. This imaginative fan campaign also incorporated popular summer blockbuster memes in its promotional content.

The fan-made burger post featured an alluring image of a burger with striking blue buns and a sumptuously filled meat patty with cheese, sauces, and lettuce. The movie's logo appeared prominently beside it. The post cheekily claimed:

"Available nationwide starting July 17, Burger King guests can summon the power of the Scarab with the Blue Beetle Whopper."

Although beloved by comic aficionados, the character is relatively unknown to a general audience, leading fans to demand more creative marketing efforts from Warner Bros. to widen the movie's reach.

This playful fan campaign echoes a similarly well-intentioned fandom around Morbius. Fans genuinely want this Latino superhero movie to succeed and seem to use humor to cope with their concerns about the film's modest promotional budget and potential lack of success.

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The impact of the burger campaign

A burger craze: Unofficial campaign strikes a chord across the internet (Image via Warner Bros)

The inventive post quickly went viral, sparking confusion among fans who couldn't verify the campaign's authenticity through either the official Warner Bros. or Burger King social media accounts.

The clever campaign took Twitter and TikTok by storm, with numerous posts and videos adding to the frenzy of misinformation. The false fan campaign's popularity reveals a genuine worry that Warner Bros. may not do enough to promote the film.

However, the seemingly understated marketing approach for Blue Beetle might be strategic on Warner Bros.'s part to avoid competition with its other significant summer release, Barbie. Regardless, the superhero film is facing a challenging path ahead, especially given that this movie genre has been struggling at the box office recently.

With the Blue Beetle's relative obscurity outside of DC Comics fandom, Warner Bros. has its work cut out to ensure the film's success. Even as the fans' unofficial burger campaign delights the internet, it is a powerful reminder of the importance of robust and creative movie promotion.