Director James Gunn's The Suicide Squad is set to introduce a host of new supervillains to the DC Extended Universe, including Daniela Melchior's Ratcatcher 2. In order to help Melchior bring this new incarnation of Ratcatcher to life, Gunn enlisted two rodent co-stars whom he recently talked about following the recent release of new The Suicide Squad photos.
Ratcatcher was introduced in comics as the alter-ego of a Gotham City criminal named Otis Flannegan, a former rat catcher who fell into a life of crime. Using his ability to communicate with rats and train them to do his bidding, Ratcatcher was primarily a foil for Batman and frequently unleashed his army of rodents upon Gotham.
While there does not appear to be an official explanation for why Melchior's version of the character is named Ratcatcher 2, at least at this time, fans suspect she will be the daughter of Flannegan. As the first trailer for The Suicide Squad reveals, Ratcatcher 2 shares her comic book counterpart's ability to communicate and command rats, in addition to sporting a similar mask and outfit as well. Melchior's Ratcatcher 2 will enjoy the companionship of a rat named Sebastian, whom Gunn revealed is played by two real rats named Jaws and Crisp Ratt, the latter potentially being named after Chris Pratt, the lead star of Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy films. The Suicide Squad director was prompted to discuss the two rat stars after a fan expressed their amusement over Sebastian having a relationship with Ratcatcher 2 not unlike the one a parrot might have with a pirate.
Gunn then said that he had many pet rats as a child before noting that despite their reputation, they are actually more intelligent and affectionate than similar but more revered animals, such as gerbils and hamsters. After Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy was released, it appears the popularity of the character Rocket Raccoon resulted in raccoons becoming sought-after pets. While Gunn revealed that he sad the Guardians films popularized owning raccoons as pets, something he does support, the director added that he would be thrilled if The Suicide Squad leads to more people choosing rats as their furry companions.
The wait for the debut of Melchior's Ratcatcher 2 and information regarding her potential relationship with the comic book version of the character, if any, will not take much longer. Unlike most recent and upcoming blockbusters, filming on The Suicide Squad was completed before the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in several projects suspending production, and the DC film is on course to hit theaters this summer.
The Suicide Squad is already paving the way for a spin-off series centered on John Cena's Peacemaker, another newcomer to the DCEU. However, it feels like Melchior's Ratcatcher 2 and Sebastian the rat also have the potential to endear themselves to audiences enough for them to call on Warner Bros. to bring the duo back for future DC projects.
The Suicide Squad is scheduled to be released in theaters and HBO Max on August 6, 2021.
Source: James Gunn/Twitter