There's a whole lot to love about The Suicide Squad. James Gunn's latest is a bombastic movie that brings back beloved characters, introduces new ones, and kills a whole lot of people – no matter how much you've grown attached to them.
However, there was one person who Gunn originally contemplated killing, but when the matter was at hand, the filmmaker simply couldn't do the deed. George R.R. Martin eat your heart out.
The Suicide Squad spoilers ahead
The beating heart of The Suicide Squad is, without a doubt, Ratcatcher 2, played by Daniela Melchior. She's a joy on screen, and her bond with Bloodsport is excellent. Unlike Polka Dot Man, Rick Flag, and basically everyone from the first Task Force X team, both Ratcatcher 2 and Bloodsport survive until the credits.
That wasn't always the case. "There was a change. The original ending that I pitched, one main character died and one main character did not die. And the main character who died was was Ratcatcher 2," Gunn told Variety. "She was so sweet, I just felt like it was just too dark. Not that we don’t love Polka Dot Man. We do. I just couldn't [kill Ratcatcher 2]. So I relented."
Gunn added that he never planned to kill either Bloodsport of Harley Quinn, despite previously saying that anyone was on the cards for the cut.
"[The studio] said I could keep [all the characters] or do away with them all," he previously told 12DOVE and Total Film. "I could do a completely new squad – which I considered – and they said, 'You can kill anyone.' Warner were pretty much on board [with the story] from the beginning – it was pretty much firmly in place from the inception of me taking on the project. They were very trusting of me throughout the entire process, almost to the degree to which I was frightened, because it really is all me, 100 per cent – there's no one to blame if something goes wrong, except for myself!"
For more on The Suicide Squad, be sure to check out our explainers:
- The Suicide Squad ending explained
- The Suicide Squad post-credits scene explained
- Everything we know about The Suicide Squad 2
- Where does The Suicide Squad for on the DCEU timeline
