When Does Blue Beetle Take Place In The DC Movie Universe Timeline?

"Blue Beetle" is relatively unique in the current DC movie timeline. It was conceived and developed back when the DCEU was still running, but James Gunn has confirmed that it will also be included in the new DCU. Speaking on the podcast Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, Gunn explained, "The first DCU character for sure is Blue Beetle, and the first full DCU movie is 'Superman [Legacy].'" But what does that mean, exactly?

Supposedly, it means that Gunn's Man of Steel movie is the first to be fully crafted under the DCU banner, while "Blue Beetle" can fit within the new franchise despite being created as part of the old series. But then, when does "Blue Beetle" take place in the DC movie universe timeline? Because the story is so isolated and independent, largely to its benefit, that's a difficult question to answer. Batman, Superman, and the Flash are all referenced in the film, but it's not clear which versions of the characters are being discussed.

Still, the widespread public knowledge of all three of those heroes in "Blue Beetle" tells us something. It means that superheroes like Batman and Superman have been in the game long enough for someone like Uncle Rudy (George Lopez) in Palmera City to both know all about them and have an opinion on their activities (like that Batman is a fascist, as Rudy says). This seems like an intentional choice to help "Blue Beetle" fit into the developing DCU timeline wherever it makes the most sense.

In a recent interview with GamesRadar+, "Blue Beetle" director Ángel Manuel Soto spoke about the role of Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) in the future of the DCU. "We haven't had a direct conversation about it," Soto said, "but we have had conversations about the importance of Jaime and Blue Beetle within the universe, as well as his stories in the comics."

Though the order of events isn't entirely clear, it seems that the Superman and Batman mentioned in "Blue Beetle" will be the new versions from the DCU. David Corenswet has already been cast as Clark Kent, and the new Dark Knight — separate from Robert Pattinson's character in "The Batman," which is still getting its own sequel outside of the DCU — will debut in the upcoming "Brave and the Bold" film.

Soto has said that he has plans for a trilogy of "Blue Beetle" films, but the vague positioning of the movie also leaves it open for potential crossovers, depending on which way the DCU ends up going. "He can have his own stories, his own space and he can also be part of different leagues, and different connections, with other heroes," the director told GamesRadar+. "The potential is endless." In a separate interview with ComicBook.com, Soto reiterated that the vague setting of "Blue Beetle" is part of what makes it a great starting point for the DCU. "I think it opens up the doors to any interpretation or any direction James Gunn wants to go and because it is setting Jaime up," he said. "What happens now moving forward is game."