The failure of DC Studios to properly promote the Blue Beetle movie has been highlighted by a grassroots marketing campaign. The self-dubbed Blue Beetle Battalion have taken it upon themselves to do what they feel Warner Bros. Discovery isn't and have begun promoting the film on social media through a series of parody ments for non-existent products and promotions. While this movement is born of an honest love for the Blue Beetle character, it also highlights how the real marketing campaign has failed the film so far.
The Blue Beetle movie is something of an anomaly among DC Studios' 2023 release slate. The film was originally produced as part of a plan to release lower-budget films devoted to more obscure DC Comics characters directly to Max. That plan changed with the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery and a new management that favored big-budget blockbusters, shelving the Batgirl movie that was meant to kick off the streaming initiative. Blue Beetle somehow survived the cuts and is now "the first DCU character" according to DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, despite his solo movie being produced for the DCEU.
Blue Beetle Fans Are Taking DC Movie Marketing Into Their Own Hands
While general audiences may be uncertain what to make of Blue Beetle, the Blue Beetle Battalion has taken it upon itself to spread the good word of Jaime Reyes. Social media is filled with #BlueBeetleBattalion posts, linking to mock ments and fake promotional tie-ins. These include a Blue Beetle McDonald's shake (parodying the recent purple Grimace shake), a vinyl soundtrack album, a Jell-O flavor, and a Blue Beetle Nintendo DS Game. Beyond satirizing the media blitz and ludicrous advertising that went into earlier superhero movies, the efforts of the Blue Beetle Battalion have highlighted how poorly DC Studios have promoted Blue Beetle compared to The Flash.
Why Marketing Has Been Light For Blue Beetle
While the Blue Beetle Battalion's point is well-made, there are several factors as to why Blue Beetle has not been as heavily hyped as other recent DC movies. While Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle is a well-known hero in DC Comics, he's an unknown to many potential moviegoers, having never been seen on the big screen before. It may be seen as a riskier project given it's not a sequel and doesn't star a big, A-list celebrity. Furthermore, with Blue Beetle having originally been planned as a streaming exclusive, it may simply not have as big of a marketing budget as projects like The Flash or Shazam: Fury of the Gods.
A more recent issue is the SAG-AFTRA strike, which is hindering promotional movements across Hollywood. With actors unable to do any press junkets or discuss releases in interviews or on social media, it is difficult for the studios to promote anything via traditional outlets like stars appearing on podcasts, talk shows, and more. Half genuine and half tongue-in-cheek, the Blue Beetle Battalion is picking up the slack and giving Blue Beetle the marketing campaign it thinks the movie deserves. Time will tell if positive reviews or word of mouth can take Blue Beetle the rest of the way when it releases this August.
