In the opening scene of “Blue Beetle,” Jaime Reyes (played by Xolo Maridueña) arrives in an airport as the horn of Calle 13’s song “Atrévate-te-te,” wails in the background before a heavy reggaeton beat drops.
(You can watch the song’s music video here, but be warned, you might want to avoid playing this at the office.)
For those unfamiliar, “Blue Beetle” is the first Latino superhero in the DC Comics universe, and the film is the first live-action superhero movie led by a Latino cast. As a result, Latino organizations have mobilized in support of the film.
“This is a moment to unify, this is a moment to align, and come together in support of these incredibly talented individuals and try to uplift their work,” Ruben Garcia, a former foundation executive and co-head of cultural business strategy at Creative Artists Agency, recently told URL Media partner palabra.
Latinos make up nearly a fifth of the U.S. population, but were only cast in lead roles in roughly 2% of theatrical film releases and 6% of streaming film releases in 2022, according to the 2023 UCLA Hollywood Diversity Report.
What’s even more astonishing about the lack of representation is that Latinos have historically accounted for nearly 30% of box office sales , according to the Motion Picture Association.
The opening weekend for “Blue Beetle” saw a similar turnout where Latino audiences accounted for nearly 40% of box office sales.
With that in mind, it’s no wonder many in Hollywood view the box office success of “Blue Beetle” as critical for the future of Latino-centered film projects. But “Blue Beetle” was on uneven footing from the start with both WGA and SAG-AFTRA on strike, meaning neither the stars of the film nor the film’s writers can promote their work.
“For the sake of current and future generations of Latinos, we will not delay our progress any longer,” an open letter signed by 27 Latino organizations read. “It’s important that we show up for them at a time when they are not able to promote their projects.”
Note
Also critical is the creation of a talent pipeline that provides up-and-coming Latino creatives with the skills they need to succeed, which is why programs like actor Edward James Olmos’ Youth Cinema Project are so important for the future of the film industry.
“This [program] lets me know I have more options for the future, such as film editing, script writing, and more,” student Michael Ramos told palabra. last fall. “It inspires me.”
Another participant said the program was transformative.
“At first I didn’t think that I would like filmmaking, but after (the class started), I really got interested,” said Alexander Figueroa.
As we’re rooting for their success in film, let’s also continue to hold studio executives accountable for the lack of diversity in Hollywood.
My hope for this film is that word of mouth will be enough for its success, because at the end of the day, this was the first superhero movie where I saw myself, my family and my friends reflected in the cast. For once, Latinos were shown saving the day.
“It’s about time that we can tell that story and show the world that we can save ourselves, too,” director Ángel Manuel Soto said earlier this month at a special fan screening.
Note: Tomorrow is National Cinema Day, and a number of movie theaters are celebrating with $4 movie tickets, giving you a chance to save some money, see a great movie and support Latino creatives. —Alicia Ramirez
Uplift. Respect. Love.
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