Hocus Pocus 2 and Reacher stars join new DC movie

Hocus Pocus 2 star Belissa Escobedo and Reacher's Harvey Guillén have been added to the cast of new Worlds of DC movie, Blue Beetle.

TheWrap reports that the pair, along with Breaking Through star Bruna Marquezine, will join Cobra Kai star Xolo Maridueña in the film, which is the first DC movie to be led by a Latino character.

Maridueña has already been confirmed to be playing the lead role of Jaime Reyes, while TheWrap reports that Marquezine will be playing "the female lead and love interest, Penny".

Related: Does The Batman have any credit scenes?

Escobedo is taking on the role of Jaime's younger sister, Milagros Reyes, while details of Guillén's role are still being kept secret.

Escobedo will soon be seen starring in Disney+ sequel Hocus Pocus 2 as Izzy, a high school student attempting to foil the plans of the magical Sanderson sisters, while she has also starred in American Horror Stories and Sex Appeal.

Guillén played Jasper in the first season of Amazon Prime Video's Reacher, while he is also known for his role as human familiar Guillermo de la Cruz in What We Do in the Shadows.

Blue Beetle is being directed by Charm City Kings director Angel Manuel Soto, with Miss Bala writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer writing the script.

Related: The Flash, Black Adam and Aquaman 2 get new release dates

Mexican-American teenager Jaime Reyes was first introduced to DC Comics in 2006 as the third incarnation of the Blue Beetle, and he has been seen as a member of both the Teen Titans and Justice League within the DC Universe.

Jaime, who is an ordinary teenager with no connections to the superhero world before he gains his powers, discovers the Blue Beetle scarab while on his way home from school with his friends.

He takes the scarab home, curious as to what it could be, and, that night, it comes alive and grafts itself to the base of Jaime's spine, providing him with a suit of extraterrestrial, modifiable armour.

Maridueña has previously spoken out about landing the lead role in Blue Beetle, saying that he has "so much pride in getting to be a part of this project" and adding: "I think it's so important, and I don't want to stand on the soapbox for too long but representation is so important".

Blue Beetle is due for release in August 2023.

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Susannah Alexander

Reporter & Sub-Editor, Digital Spy Susannah is a freelance writer and sub-editor, specialising in the entertainment industry. She graduated in 2014, with a BA in English and American Literature and Creative Writing, and an MA in Creative Producing.  She’s been writing for Digital Spy ever since, after first getting involved through work experience, and has written hundreds of stories for the site on a range of topics, from The Sims to Doctor Who.  Susannah has also written for Reveal Magazine.  Her special interests are soaps (her Mastermind subject would be 2000s Coronation Street), Marvel and Star Wars. She can also quote far too many lines from Friends and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.