Latino advocacy groups are stepping in to promote Blue Beetle

The Future. Since stars Xolo Maridueña, George Lopez, and Bruna Marquezine can’t stump for this weekend’s release of Blue Beetle due to the actors strike, Latino advocacy groups are filling the void. The hope is the latest DC entry can be a cultural moment for the community the way Black Panther and Crazy Rich Asians were for theirs. While the jury is still out on whether audiences will rally around the film, long-term awareness may be strong since the character will continue as part of James Gunn’s and Peter Safran’s DC-universe reboot.

Support the roots
Latino advocacy groups are making sure word gets out about the first superhero movie that represents the culture.

• The National Association of Latino Independent Producers is joining other nonprofits in buying out theaters for community members and kids.
• 27 organizations, including the Latino Film Institute and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, signed an open letter urging moviegoers to support Latino creatives by seeing the movie.
• And of course, every Latino group (and even the AAPI-focused Gold House) is blasting the film’s marketing materials via social media. 
• Meanwhile, Warner Bros. has been hosting screenings in Latino-heavy metros like Miami, Los Angeles, and San Antonio, sending director Angel Manuel Soto on a cross-city tour.

Despite tracking to open at $30 million this weekend, if Blue Beetle can capture the Latino audience (which Warners’ own In the Heights wasn’t able to do in 2021 due to COVID), it could prove to be a huge windfall — Latinos make up 19% of the US population but buy roughly 29% of movie tickets.

And with only 5.1% of lead roles in films going to Latino talent, a movie like Blue Beetle is a diamond in the rough.