First Blue Beetle trailer is a fun, action-packed showcase of DC's new young hero

The first Blue Beetle trailer has finally arrived – and it sees Jaime Reyes gain some awesome powers, accidentally cut a bus in half, and catch Susan Sarandon's sinister attention. 

In the trailer, which you can watch above, Jaime (played by Cobra Kai's Xolo Maridueña) is a normal teenage kid with normal teenage problems… until he's given a mysterious box and told to guard it with his life, but without opening it. Naturally, Jaime opens it. 

Inside is none other than a blue Scarab, which promptly attaches itself to Jaime's face and begins integrating itself with his body in one particularly horror-tinged sequence. 

But, this results in Jaime gaining some seriously cool powers thanks to the Scarab, which is said to protect its host. It doesn't always obey its host's commands, though, as seen when Jaime slices the bus in two – oops! 

Plus, Jaime can make some handy gadgets thanks to the suit, including a giant sword. We even get a Batman name drop, though George Lopez's Rudy Reyes isn't a fan of the Caped Crusader, to say the least. 

It's not all fun and games, though. Worryingly enough, the Scarab is referred to as a world-destroying weapon. We also get a glimpse at the villains of the movie: Sarandon's Victoria Kord warns Jaime that the Scarab belongs to her. Interestingly, in the comics, Victoria is the sister of Ted Kord, who was the second Blue Beetle. Then there's Raoul Max Trujillo's Conrad Carapax, who tells Jaime his love for his family makes him weak. Ominous…

Blue Beetle was originally intended for a HBO Max, but has since shifted to a theatrical release. At the moment, the future of the character in the new DC universe is unclear. There's no Blue Beetle-related project on the DCU Chapter One: Gods and Monsters slate, but co-CEO James Gunn has revealed that less than half of Chapter One has been announced

You can watch Blue Beetle in theaters beginning this August 18, 2023. For more on the new movie, see what Maridueña and director Angel Manuel Soto had to say about the film's Latino representation

While you wait for August, check out our guide to all the upcoming DC movies and TV shows for everything else coming soon. 

Molly Edwards
Senior Entertainment Writer

I'm a Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English. 

Read more
Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle's future in James Gunn's DCU gets promising update from star Xolo Maridueña – including a new show out in 2026
The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer
The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer Easter eggs – The 12 Marvel nods we spotted, from the Fantasticar to the Baxter Building
The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer
The Fantastic Four: First Steps trailer proves the Marvel movie will be like nothing we've seen before in the MCU – and I couldn't be happier
David Corenswet as Superman in first look at James Gunn's new movie
Superman release date, trailer, cast, and everything you need to know about the new movie
Lois Lane looking over her shoulder
Superman star Rachel Brosnahan reveals how James Gunn's DC movie is "so true to the comics"
Freaky Tales
Pedro Pascal seeks revenge in the first trailer for bloody new horror movie from Marvel directors
Latest in DC Movies
Ben Affleck in Zack Snyder's Justice League
Ben Affleck reflects on the "excruciating experience" playing Batman in the Zack Snyder movies: "A lot of it was misalignment of agendas, understandings, expectations"
James Gunn
James Gunn reacts to Jason Momoa almost spoiling his Lobo costume in an interview: "I just want to profoundly thank Jason’s publicist"
Jason Momoa next to Lobo
Jason Momoa has gone method taking on the role of Lobo: "I asked everybody to call me by my character's name"
Batgirl movie
Unearthed Daredevil-like fight scene from DC's canceled Batgirl movie gives us a taste of what we could have had
Jason Momoa in A Minecraft Movie
Jason Momoa says the DCU's Lobo is "exactly like" the comic book character in upcoming Supergirl movie
Guy Gardner Green Lantern in Superman
Nathan Fillion says his version of Green Lantern in James Gunn's Superman is "a jerk": "He's not nice, which is very freeing as an actor"
Latest in News
Lunar Remastered Collection
"Will today’s players still enjoy a game from 30 years ago?": JRPG icon Kei Shigema says he was thrilled to see Lunar getting a remaster even after all this time
Nick Offerman as Bill and Murray Bartlett as Frank in The Last of Us episode 3
The Last of Us season 2 showrunners tease a "gorgeous" episode akin to season 1’s Emmy-nominated Bill and Frank story: "Just you wait"
The Witcher 4 screenshot with Ciri using sword and sorcery to fight an ancient monster
CD Projekt boss says "cutting-edge single-player games" – you know, like The Witcher 4 and Cyberpunk 2 – will "continue to enjoy great popularity" despite industry shifts
Cyberpunk 2077
Despite releasing exactly zero new games, CD Projekt bagged $120 million in profit for 2024 – the Witcher and Cyberpunk studio's third-best result ever
Muse
Daredevil: Born Again midseason trailer teases Matt Murdock’s violent fight with Muse, including a gory scene straight from the comics
Batman looking over the city during Batman: Arkham City, one of the best PS3 games.
The PS2 Batman Begins game was considered such a "disaster" that Christopher Nolan turned down a Dark Knight-inspired game