My wishlist for the rumored Blue Beetle series on HBO Max

[Hybrid]

It is very, very heavily rumored that a Blue Beetle series starring Jaime Reyes is in development for HBO Max. In fact, multiple insiders have stated as much on separate occasions, but it hasn't officially been confirmed by Warner themselves yet. It's believed that the movie that was announced in 2018 has been reworked into a show instead.

So for this topic, let's assume that we are indeed getting a Blue Beetle series for the service. What would you like to see?

Here are some things I want to see:

• Filmed on location in El Paso, TX. The setting is pretty important important to the lore, and HBO usually does on location shooting. If they get to film in El Paso, then they can really make the most of the setting, and show various areas that help make the show come to life.
• Proper budget, over $100 million and 8-10 episodes. It's important to have a good budget worthy of prestige TV, especially considering how effects-intensive a Blue Beetle series would be.
• Based largely on the original 36 issue run from 2006-2009, which established Jaime's character, cast and mythos. Of course, there would be changes and additions, but that's the general idea.
• Season 1 should focus largely on Jaime and his setting, dealing with growing up and being a reluctant superhero, while dealing with a psychotic voice in his head. Season 2 should fully introduce the Reach, and bring in the more cosmic end of the mythos.
• If possible, connect this to the Green Lantern series, and start a new, better shared universe. If all goes well, it might be the start of something great.
• Overall, be lighthearted and fun, with a prominent theme of family just like in the source.

Characters

The cast is obviously very important, and should draw from Jaime and his cast the most. Here is who I would include:

• Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle: The main character, a Mexican-American teen from a middle-class background in El Paso, who becomes a reluctant superhero after being bonded with the Scarab and dealing with a literal voice inside his head. Good thing he has his friends and family backing him.
• Khaji Da: The Scarab. It's a comedic sociopath who often suggests the most dangerous actions, and Jaime often has to talk it down from them. They eventually form a begrudging, but functional, partnership. I would cast a talented character actor to portray the voice, as you can get comedic gold from it.
• Paco Testas: Jaime's best friend, and Brenda's love interest. He's tough, but has a good heart, and is part of a good gang called the Posse.
• Brenda Del Vecchio: Jaime's other best friend, and Paco's love interest. She comes from an abuse household, and her aunt is La Dama. Uh oh.
• Bianca Reyes: A paramedic who looks out for the community, and Jaime's tough, but loving mother who reluctantly lets Jaime become a superhero.
• Alberto Reyes: A mechanic and garage owner, former soldier for the Army, Jaime's father who he often talks to for advice.
• Milagro Reyes: Jaime's adorable little sister, fully supportive of him.
• Traci Thirteen: A new girl at school, and one of the few non-Hispanic people there. She's also a magical witch with luck and probability manipulation powers, but we don't learn that until later. She serves as Jaime's partner and love interest
• Nadia: One of Jaime's support team members, operating the "Beetle Cave" alongside her brother Hector.
• Hector: One of Jaime's support team members, operating the "Beetle Cave" alongside his sister Nadia.
• The Posse: A friendly street gang on local superhumans of magical origin, friends of the Blue Beetle. They consist of Damper, Bonita, Scour, Thumper, Probe, Esteban, and Piñata.
• Amparo / La Dama: The main villain of the first season and the archenemy of the Blue Beetle, who keeps foiling her. She's a magical, immortal being who captures and traffics teens with powers, and is thought an urban legend or a myth, but is very real. She's also Brenda's aunt.

Anyways, what do you guys think? What would you want to see out of a Blue Beetle series?

[titanfan]

I'm one of those who always found Jaime's supporting cast more interesting than Jaime, so the more we see of Brenda, Paco and the gang, the better.

Would like to see the Legacy of Blue Beetle at some point. I kinda hope they keep the alien origins.

[Steel Inquisitor]

Please, be real. I want to watch that ASAP.

[Xalfrea]

An adaptation of the post-Infinite Crisis Blue Beetle series as outlined in the first post would be great. Of course changing some stuff here and there if they don't want it too tied into the greater DC universe and all that.

For the sake of legacy I would like to add in some stuff involving Ted Kord and Dan Garrett. Not outright showing them in the present day or anything, but mentioning them, putting them in flashbacks, allusions, etc. Heck I remember Dan's granddaughter appearing in the original run, do that here as well.

[Hybrid]

An adaptation of the post-Infinite Crisis Blue Beetle series as outlined in the first post would be great. Of course changing some stuff here and there if they don't want it too tied into the greater DC universe and all that.

For the sake of legacy I would like to add in some stuff involving Ted Kord and Dan Garrett. Not outright showing them in the present day or anything, but mentioning them, putting them in flashbacks, allusions, etc. Heck I remember Dan's granddaughter appearing in the original run, do that here as well.

That would be pretty cool. I also had the idea that Ted could appear in the series, though preferably later in the second season after Jaime and his setting is well established, who acts like a mentor and guide to Jaime and the two often bicker back and forth yet form a close bond. This would be a good way introduce Ted to larger audiences, and demonstrate how badass he is even without the Scarab (plus, I think the Bug ship would be pretty cool to see done well, and would lend itself to merchandise). They could also introduce Booster Gold while they're at it for some fun.

I would love if they form a shared universe of series on HBO Max, higher quality than the ******action shared universes from before, just got to take it nice and easy and not do too much at once.

[Frontier]

I do hope a Blue Beetle series would acknowledge the characters legacy aspect to a significant degree.

[Vakanai]

My wishlist:
24 episodes
Eventual crossover with the CW shows
Good CG
No legacy crap

[Xalfrea]

My wishlist:
No legacy crap

Not sure how your wishlist would work out then considering that Jaime and the freaking Blue Beetle identity are a legacy.

[Vakanai]

Not sure how your wishlist would work out then considering that Jaime and the freaking Blue Beetle identity are a legacy.

Just don't mention the two guys who came before - he didn't train with them, he wasn't a sidekick, he got stuck with an alien device on his back. Pretty simple, talking about these other guys just complicates things.

[Steel Inquisitor]

My wishlist:
24 episodes
Eventual crossover with the CW shows
Good CG
No legacy crap

The legacy aspect of Blue Beetle is wonderful.

[Hybrid]

Just don't mention the two guys who came before - he didn't train with them, he wasn't a sidekick, he got stuck with an alien device on his back. Pretty simple, talking about these other guys just complicates things.

No dude, that's a horrible idea. They tried to do what you suggest in the New 52, and guess what? It didn't work.

Also, why would you want it to crossover with the CW shows? I'd rather keep that stuff out as we move to a new era of quality superhero TV.

[Sutekh]

I'd want to stick to one primary super-character, Jaime, for a few episodes, long enough to get to spend some of the budget on his effects (and it be early enough in his learning curve that he is limited in what he can reliably do, to also save on the budget), rather than have tons of 'metas of the week' or whatever to eat up the FX budget, as on the Flash.

Definitely speak to the legacy aspect of the character, at least in the name-drop aspect (acknowledging that he's not the first person to use that name, even if he knows bupkiss about the previous Blue Beetle(s), and they aren't relevant to his story). Maybe in season two, he can meet an older hero who knew Ted Kord, such as Booster Gold, and they can have a moment addressing the legacy aspect, during a pause in the action.

Avoid crossing over with the WB shows, and their, IMO, hit or miss quality levels, although noting that these characters, or others in the DCU exist, mentioning Vixen or Black Lightning or Stargirl (or the Titans, from a non-WB show), would be welcome. He can exist in the same shared universe without them all showing up for a crossover cameo every season (just as the Teen Titans and Doom Patrol exist in a universe that can reference people like Hawkman and Wonder Woman without us ever seeing them).

Save the Reach for season 2, definitely. Meta-trafficking would be a fine thing to deal with in season 1. Some sort of supernatural threat (bringing in Traci 13's occult ties) related to chupacabra could be a 'monster of the week.' I imagine there will have to be at least passing notice, if not necessarily a big plotline, involving immigration and racism, just because of the location and his ethnicity, but I'm not sure if want them to go full 'HBO's Watchmen' with it... (OTOH, I'd be unimpressed if they totally shied away from that element out of fear of offending people, so long as they don't go all after-school-special about it.)

If a fair number of the cast (Jaime and his friends) are going to be Hispanic, then let them speak Spanish amongst each other, from time to time. Throw some subtitles up there for those of us who no comprende, because while I can't habla Espanol, I *can* read English subtitles. And cast brown actors for the brown characters. Obv. The rest of us can cheer when Traci 13 or whomever is on-screen, and everybody starts speaking English again for her benefit, or when they are in class, or whatever, and English is expected.

[Agent Z]

Just don't mention the two guys who came before - he didn't train with them, he wasn't a sidekick, he got stuck with an alien device on his back. Pretty simple, talking about these other guys just complicates things.

We're about to get a Stargirl show which will delve into the Starman legacy. To say nothing of the Antman movies making mention of Hank Pym being the original Antman and the Titans and Young Justice shows acknowledging the Robin legacy. Legacy is not so complicated that audiences cannot understand it.

[Vakanai]

The legacy aspect of Blue Beetle is wonderful.

Didn't say it wasn't - just said it'd complicate a TV show, especially if they go with the usual Ted's already dead and never met Jaime angle as I vaguely understand it (mostly from the cartoons).

No dude, that's a horrible idea. They tried to do what you suggest in the New 52, and guess what? It didn't work.

Also, why would you want it to crossover with the CW shows? I'd rather keep that stuff out as we move to a new era of quality superhero TV.

New 52 didn't work for a variety of reasons, a lot of reasons, just because new 52 did it doesn't automatically make it a bad no go.

And I like the CW shows. I don't want this to be like those shows, just want to see them crossover. See all the heroes interact. It's fun.

[Vakanai]

We're about to get a Stargirl show which will delve into the Starman legacy. To say nothing of the Antman movies making mention of Hank Pym being the original Antman and the Titans and Young Justice shows acknowledging the Robin legacy. Legacy is not so complicated that audiences cannot understand it.

And all of those examples are different - in most continuities Jaime never meets Ted because Ted had his head blown off. Not every legacy is equal, not every legacy is done the same. Some legacy elements are easier to do or more worthwhile than others for adaptation. Blue Beetle just doesn't strike me as the big super legacy is integral thing like the others you've mentioned. But this just might be from an outsider's perspective having mostly the cartoons, wikipedia, and that issue where Ted got shot in the head to go off of.