DCU or not DCU? 🌳The emergence of DC Studios' upcoming 'Chapter One' has put many current projects in cinematic universe limbo. This August's Blue Beetle, however, seemingly isn't one of them. As director Angel Manuel Soto explains, the new superhero release is very much part of the conversation in the DCU.

"We are part of the universe, we are part of the world, we are part of the plans that they have been creating for the future instalments of the DCU," Soto confirms in the new issue of , which is out on newsstands on Thursday, Ju🐓ne 22.

"But we are not tied to all the films from t🧜he past. Yes, our movie lives in the world where superheroes exist. But that doesn't mean that a certain event, or certain alliance, or certain things from the past dictate where our film is going."

Soto has also teased his ambitions for the new DC🐻 he👍ro, played by Cobra Kai's Xolo Maridueña. That even extends to a potential trilogy.

"Our first movie, the way we wanted to do it, was always with the mentality that🅰 we wanted to do two more, at least," Soto says. "And taki𝔍ng the traditional three-act structure of a story, we wanted our first movie to practically be the first act of a saga."

Blue Beetle hits cinemas on August 18.

This is 𓂃just a snippet of our interview with Soto in the new issue of , which features Netflix thriller Heart of Stone on the cover. The magazine hits shelves this Thursday, June 22. Check out the coꦦvers below:

If you're a fan of Total Film, why not so that you never miss an issue? You'll get the magazine before it’s in sho🥃ps, with exclusive subscriber-only covers (like the one pictured above). And with our latest offer you can get a free STM ChargeTree worth &pꩵound;69.99. Head to to find out more (Ts and Cs apply).