'Suicide Squad' Sequel Cast Adds Daniela Melchior As Ratcatcher

The Suicide Squad sequel cast continues to assemble, and the latest addition is a fresh face indeed. Daniela Melchior, an actress who has primarily worked in Portuguese film and television projects. Melchior would play Ratcatcher, a character who can control rats (didn't see that coming, did you?). Melchoir joins Idris Elba, Margot Robbie, John Cena, and more in the James Gunn-directed sequel.

Variety broke the news about Daniela Melchoir joining the cast of The Suicide Squad, the sequel to the downright terrible Suicide Squad. In the comics, Melchoir's character Ratcatcher was male, but Gunn has decided to change the character to female. She'll have some sort connection to whomever Idris Elba is playing. Elba was originally cast to take over the part of Deadshot from Will Smith, but it was then decided Elba would play another role – in case Smith ever wants to return as Deadshot for future films.

In the comics, Ratcatcher is a former exterminator who can control rats. One can only assume the same sort of background will apply in the film. Ratcatcher is one of several new team members for The Suicide Squad, the others being humanoid shark King Shark, the weird Polka-Dot Man (played by David Dastmalchian); and the Punisher-like Peacemaker (said to be the part inhabited by John Cena). Margot Robbie will be back as Harley Quinn, along with returning cast members Jai Courtney (as Captain Boomerang) and Viola Davis (as Amanda Waller).

There's no nice way to say this: the original Suicide Squad was awful. But the film made money, and Warners wants more. Thankfully, they're wise enough to bring in James Gunn. Gunn was hired after being fired from Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 3. But recently, Marvel rehired him. He will now direct both films, proving once and for all that the worlds of Marvel and DC can co-exist.

Plot details for The Suicide Squad remain a mystery. It was initially rumored that the film would be a complete reboot, but the fact that Gunn has kept many of the first film's main characters clearly negates that. For now, we'll just have to wait and see what Gunn has in store for us all with his take on The Suicide Squad.

The Suicide Squad opens August 6, 2021. Production is expected to begin this fall.