Ángel Manuel Soto

Ángel Manuel Soto
Soto in 2023
Born (1983-01-28) January 28, 1983 (age 41)
Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico
NationalityPuerto Rican
Alma materUniversidad del Sagrado Corazón[1]
Occupations
  • Film director
  • film producer
  • screenwriter
Years active2009–present

Ángel Manuel Soto (born January 28, 1983) is a Puerto Rican film director, producer and screenwriter. He is best known for directing the films Charm City Kings (2020) and Blue Beetle (2023).

Early life

Ángel Manuel Soto was born in Santurce, a neighborhood in San Juan, Puerto Rico. His parents were a car salesman and a flight attendant. During his youth, Soto was involved in soccer, boxing, and music, thus forming the band Los Cheveres, a punk rock group formed in the early 2000’s, on to which inspired some of his later projects. As he grew up, he studied architecture, documentary filmmaking, and writing. Soto began his career as a TV producer and later worked on Art Direction at a local advertising agency.[2]

Career

Before working on his first short film, Soto worked at Standard Style Boutique in Kansas City. During that time, he rented all the rooms in his house and slept on the floor for 2 months in order to save money. In 2009, Soto released the short film 22weeks, which ended up winning multiple awards, including the Bronze Telly Award in 2010. After that, he has released a variety of short films, documentary shorts, and feature films, including La Granja and El Púgil. Both of these films were nominated to various film awards at film festivals, including the Chicago Latino Film Festival, the Miami Film Festival, and the Tribeca Film Festival.

In 2018, it was announced that Soto would direct Charm City Kings, a film based on the 2013 documentary 12 O'Clock Boys.[3] The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2020, where it ended up winning special jury prize for its ensemble.[4][5] The film was scheduled to be released on April 10, 2020, by Sony Pictures Classics,[6] but was rescheduled to August 14, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] In May 2020, it was announced HBO Max had acquired distribution rights to the film.[8] It was released on October 8, 2020.[9]

In February 2021, Soto was announced as the director of a film centered around the DC superhero Blue Beetle for DC Films and Warner Bros. The superhero's alter-ego, a Mexican-American teenager called Jaime Reyes, made Blue Beetle the first DC film and the first live-action superhero film overall to feature a Latino superhero as the lead. The film was written by Mexican-born writer Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer.[2] The film starred Xolo Maridueña, Bruna Marquezine, Raoul Max Trujillo, Susan Sarandon, and George Lopez. Blue Beetle was released on August 18, 2023 to positive reviews for Maridueña's performance, action scenes, themes, and Soto's directing, but was a commercial disappointment. Despite the poor box office, Vanity Fair named it one of the best films of 2023[10] and received two nominations at the 51st Saturn Awards, winning one.

In March 2021, it was announced that Soto would direct an upcoming Transformers film, and write it with screenwriter Marco Ramirez.[11][12] Despite there being no significant updates on its progress or plot, Soto is still involved with the film as of May 2024.[13]

In August 2023, it was announced that Soto would direct an action film titled The Wrecking Crew starring Jason Mamoa and Dave Bautista.[14]

In May 2024, it was announced that Soto would direct a film based on the Just Cause series for Universal Pictures. David Leitch and Kelly McCormack are set as producers through 87North Productions.[15]

In June 2024, it was announced that Soto, alongside Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer and Galen Vaisman, would executive produce a Blue Beetle animated series set in the DC Universe (DCU).[16]

Filmography

Short film

Year Title Director Producer Writer Editor DoP Notes
2009 22weeks Yes Yes Yes Yes No Also production designer, art director and visual effects supervisor
2010 Sexy Mortal Yes Yes Yes Yes
2011 En la Privacidad de mi Hogar Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
2012 El Gallo Yes Yes Yes
2016 The Second Line:
A Parade Against Violence 		Yes
Repensando a Cuba Yes
Inside Trump's America Yes Video
I Struggle Where You Vacation Yes
El Púgil Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Documentary
Bashir's Dream Yes Yes
2018 Dinner Party Yes Yes

Feature film

Year Title Director Producer Writer
2012 Frailty Yes No No
2015 La Granja Yes Yes Yes
2020 Charm City Kings Yes No No
2023 Blue Beetle Yes No No
TBA The Wrecking Crew Yes No No

TV

Year Title Director Producer Writer Notes
2022 Menudo: Forever Young Yes 4-episode miniseries

References

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ a b González, Umberto (February 23, 2021). "'Blue Beetle': Angel Manuel Soto to Direct Film About DC Comics' Latino Superhero (Exclusive)". TheWrap.
  3. ^ N'Duka, Amanda (September 24, 2018). "Teyonah Parris, Jahi Winston To Star In '12 O'Clock Boys'; Angel Manuel Soto Directing Film From Sony & Overbrook". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  4. ^ "Angel Manuel Soto to direct 'Blue Beetle,' DC Films' first Latino superhero movie". NBC News. February 24, 2021.
  5. ^ Siegel, Tatiana (December 4, 2019). "Sundance Unveils Female-Powered Lineup Featuring Taylor Swift, Gloria Steinem, Abortion Road Trip Drama". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  6. ^ Galuppo, Mia (December 17, 2019). "Sundance: Sony Pictures Classics to Release 'Charm City Kings'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  7. ^ Exhibitor Relations Co. [@ERCboxoffice] (March 17, 2020). "Warm summer nights. Just around the corner. Sony Classics is on the positive tip, dating THE CLIMB (July 17) and CHARM CITY KINGS (Aug 14)" (Tweet). Archived from the original on March 19, 2022. Retrieved April 6, 2023 – via Twitter.
  8. ^ Kit, Borys (May 5, 2020). "HBO Max Picks Up Sundance Winner 'Charm City Kings' From Sony Pictures Classics (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  9. ^ "Charm City Kings". HBO Max. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
  10. ^ Lawson, Richard (November 30, 2023). "The Best Movies of 2023". Vanity Fair. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  11. ^ Kit, Borys (March 26, 2021). "New 'Transformers' Movie in the Works From 'Charm City Kings' Filmmaker Angel Manuel Soto (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
  12. ^ White, James (March 28, 2021). "Angel Manuel Soto And Marco Ramirez Working On A New Transformers Movie". Empire.
  13. ^ Kit, Borys (May 31, 2024). "'Just Cause' Movie in the Works from 'Blue Beetle' Director Ángel Manuel Soto, 87North". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  14. ^ Grobar, Matt (August 21, 2023). "Dave Bautista, Jason Momoa, 'Blue Beetle' Helmer Ángel Manuel Soto Teaming For MGM Buddy Comedy 'The Wrecking Crew'". Deadline. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  15. ^ Kit, Borys (May 31, 2024). "'Just Cause' Movie in the Works from 'Blue Beetle' Director Ángel Manuel Soto, 87North". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  16. ^ Cordero, Rosy (June 14, 2024). "'Blue Beetle' Animated Series In Works As DC Plots Next Chapter For Superhero Franchise". Deadline. Retrieved May 31, 2024.