Where was Blue Beetle filmed? The real Palmera City location
Posted by Ra Moon
Set in the fictional Palmera City, Blue Beetle was filmed primarily in Miami, Atlanta, and Puerto Rico.
This story, independent of the DC Extended Universe, contains many references to Mexican culture (and stereotypes), mixed with an interesting and refreshing social point of view.
This story, independent of the DC Extended Universe, contains many references to Mexican culture (and stereotypes), mixed with an interesting and refreshing social point of view.
Xolo Maridueña, Miguel Diaz in the hit Netflix series Cobra Kai, stars as the Latin American hero Jaime Reyes.
Rounding out the main cast are Susan Sarandon as the CEO of Kord Industries, Victoria, and Brazilian actress Bruna Marquezine as Jaime's love interest, Jenny Kord.
Welcome to Palmera City and our spoiler-free guide to all the filming locations of Blue Beetle. You'll find the locations in order of appearance.
The real Palmera City Location
The real-world inspiration for Palmera City is clear from the start.
The establishing shot of the plane landing in Jaime's hometown was filmed in Miami, considered the "capital of Latino USA".
It's easy to recognize the 195 bridge to Miami Beach and the Venetian Islands in the background.
The I Love Palmera City letters were CGI'd into the scene in the South Pointe Beach, also in Miami, known for its soft sands and clear, turquoise waters.
In the comic, Jaime's family is from El Paso, Texas. There was some controversy in this city because the superhero's hometown was changed.
This happened because the producers preferred to set Blue Beetle in a location with an oceanside, and El Paso is a desert.
Image courtesy of DC Comics and Google Maps
The Palmera City Airport was filmed at the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan.
Opened in 2005, the complex is a modern architectural marvel with state-of-the-art facilities for hosting everything, from international conferences to concerts and trade shows.
Image courtesy of HBO - Map
The exterior of the scene where Jaime's uncle arrives with The Taco - a huge Toyota Tacoma pickup truck - is also the Convention Center, but with plenty of CGI thrown in.
With all the extra neo lights and holograms, Palmera City is like a Neo-Miami, a sci-fi and colorful version of The Magic City.
After the restaurant scene, where Jaime learns the truth after eating his tacos, there is a quick snippet of the Edge Keys sign, the colonia where the Reyes family lives.
This scene was filmed against the backdrop of the beautiful Rafael Cordero Molina High School building in the Miramar neighborhood of San Juan.
The mural that appears in this scene was commissioned specifically for this shot in the film.
It's located in the Santurce neighborhood of San Juan, on Cerra Street.
Image courtesy of HBO - Map
As art director Arte Contreras commented in the behind-the-scenes video, the Reyes family's colorful house on El Paso Street was a set built in the studios.
According to the local press, the studio work was filmed at the Wilder Studios in Decatur.
But when we zoom out, the scenes in the neighborhood, including the final scenes, were filmed in Barrio Amelia in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.
Image courtesy of HBO and Google Maps
Victoria's mansion is a seafront property located at the Dorado Beach Resort and Club along the northern coast of the Puerto Rico island.
The five-bedroom ultra-luxury home is part of this opulent resort, originally developed by Laurance S. Rockefeller.
Image courtesy of DC Comics - Map
The Kord Tower hall with the capsule elevator looks like a CGI image inspired by the Atlanta Marriott Marquis or the AmericasMart Building 3 from The Family Plan.
The famous atrium of the 52-story Marriott Marquis hotel has been featured in many movies and shows, including Loki, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, or the 2023 film starring Ana de Armas and Chris Evans, Ghosted.
Image courtesy of HBO - Map
Some sections of the Kord building lobby, like the one in the scene pictured, were filmed in a building at 250 Williams Street Northwest in Downtown Atlanta.
Image courtesy of DC Comics - Map
After the Scarab is activated, Jaime flies around the skyscrapers of Miami, doubling again as Palmera City.
The scene pictured was filmed in front of the Four Seasons Hotel Miami, on Brickell Avenue.
Image courtesy of HBO - Map
However, the bus scene was filmed at Martin Luther King Junior Drive Southwest and Pryor Street Southwest in Atlanta.
The bus stop was a set built for the scene.
Image courtesy of DC Comics and Google Maps
All the scenes with the pickup truck were recorded in Puerto Rico.
Jaime finds Jenny near the Popular Center, the headquarters of Banco Popular in Hato Rey, San Juan.
Image courtesy of HBO - Map
The sequence on the Caribbean island of Pago, located off the coast of Cuba, was filmed at the historic Castillo San Felipe del Morro in San Juan.
El Morro was built in the 16th century to guard the entrance to the San Juan Bay, which protected the Spanish colonial port city.
Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures and Cristina Martinez Mattei - Map
The shape of the Pago Island is also modeled after this iconic fortress in Puerto Rico.
The movie contains many references to Mexican popular culture. It features the '70s TV show superhero El ChapulÃn Colorado and a scene from the 1960 supernatural drama masterpiece Macario.
Can you help to improve this article about the filming locations of Blue Beetle? To complete and correct this report, any feedback, info, or images that you may have are more than welcome, thank you!
NOTICE: If you’re using this information on your website, please credit and link to this page as a source.
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NOTICE: If you’re using this information on your website, please credit and link to this page as a source.
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4 comments:
1- Anonymous - Dec 25, 2023, 4:40 PM
The last scene of the burned house was in Barrio Amelia in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.
2- Diego's thoughts - Dec 28, 2023, 9:34 PM
Filmed in my Barrio, this is Barrio Amelia. It is officially in the city of Guaynabo, but since is closer to the city of Castaño, which is across the bay from Old San Juan where El Morro is. I was raised on the street that is a couple of streets away from the street where I grew up. I believe this is Jose de Diego Street.
3- Anonymous - Dec 28, 2023, 9:59 PM
This is the Google Map link to the place where the house's final scene was filmed in Barrio Amelia Guaynabo in Puerto Rico. I grew up a couple of blocks from that location.
Reply
4- Ra Moon - Dec 28, 2023, 19:19 PM
Thank you, updated!
1- Anonymous - Dec 25, 2023, 4:40 PM
The last scene of the burned house was in Barrio Amelia in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.
2- Diego's thoughts - Dec 28, 2023, 9:34 PM
Filmed in my Barrio, this is Barrio Amelia. It is officially in the city of Guaynabo, but since is closer to the city of Castaño, which is across the bay from Old San Juan where El Morro is. I was raised on the street that is a couple of streets away from the street where I grew up. I believe this is Jose de Diego Street.
3- Anonymous - Dec 28, 2023, 9:59 PM
This is the Google Map link to the place where the house's final scene was filmed in Barrio Amelia Guaynabo in Puerto Rico. I grew up a couple of blocks from that location.
Reply
4- Ra Moon - Dec 28, 2023, 19:19 PM
Thank you, updated!
Ra Moon
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