Blue Beetle Finally Scores A Win After Bombing At The Box Office

Highlights

Blue Beetle, a DC movie that flopped at the box office, found success after premiering on the Max streaming service, becoming the number one streaming movie among U.S. consumers.
The film’s failure was initially attributed to factors such as comic-book fatigue and the lesser-known status of the Blue Beetle character and lead actor Xolo Maridueña.
While a sequel is not confirmed, the streaming success of Blue Beetle opens up the possibility of future projects, potentially as a streaming-only series, giving lesser-known heroes a chance to connect with audiences.

Blue Beetle found another chance at finding its audience after the film bombed hard at the box office. The DC movie scored a victory after premiering on the Max streaming service.

Starring Cobra Kai‘s Xolo Maridueña and industry legends George Lopez and Susan Sarandon, Blue Beetle was labeled another superhero flop after its disappointing box office performance. Amid increasing theater ticket prices and declining interest in comic-book films, DC has struggled to keep enthusiasm up. Blue Beetle fans have defended the film’s merits, but the recent Warner Bros. disaster only grossed a measly $25.4 million on opening weekend.

RELATED: James Gunn Denies Cutting A DCEU Cameo From Blue Beetle

Blue Beetle was released on Max last week, and much to the surprise of fans and critics alike, the movie appears to have caught a second wind. According to Whip Media streaming charts, the DC flick landed the number one spot for streaming movies among U.S. consumers. On its way to the top of the charts, Blue Beetle knocked Netflix’s The Killer out of first place. Peacock’s Five Nights a Freddy’s fell to third. DC fans have also pointed out that Blue Beetle nearly knocked off Sony’s Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, although the Spider-Man sequel is currently hanging on tight at number nine.

The discourse around Blue Beetle‘s failure may shift now that it’s a streaming success. While some have attributed the film’s flop to the zeitgeist’s comic-book fatigue, and the studios blamed a hurricane, other speculation was centered around the central character and lead actor. The Blue Beetle/Jamie Reyes character is not one of DC’s more popular or well-known heroes. In addition, young actor Maridueña is at the start of his career and may also lack the necessary box office appeal. While it’s been difficult for films like Blue Beetle to compete against box office hits like Robert Pattinson’s The Batman, there may be a place for lesser-known heroes and actors on the TV screens of home audiences.

Although a Blue Beetle 2 has yet to be confirmed, there are rumors regarding a sequel. New DC overlord James Gunn previously said he considers Maridueña’s Blue Beetle to be the first DCU character. Maridueña also stated that Gunn has already told him Blue Beetle will return to the DCU, but a second film was not included in Gunn’s DCU slate. Blue Beetle director Ángel Manuel Soto has admitted he’s thought about a sequel but conceded that the film’s box office performance is an important deciding factor.

Based on box office performance alone, a sequel starring the Biotech Scarab seems unlikely, and the character may be relegated to a supporting role. However, due to its newfound streaming success, Soto’s film has gotten a second chance to connect with audiences. If the charts are any indication, a future Beetle project may work as a streaming-only series. For now, though, DC fans have already voiced excitement about Blue Beetle‘s much-needed DCU win.

Blue Beetle is currently streaming on Max.