Why Ratcatcher From The Suicide Squad Looks So Familiar
James Gunn's "The Suicide Squad" has enlisted a star-studded cast in its newest reboot ... sequel ... thing — along with an assortment of the DCEU's most unusual characters. After all, when the world is in danger, who better to call on than the most dangerous people on the planet? So far, "The Suicide Squad" has racked up major praise from critics and audiences. Rotten Tomatoes currently has listed the movie with a whopping 93% (90% audience score), proving there's a reason for all the hype.
Amidst the star-powered cast of characters in "The Suicide Squad" is a newcomer to the group — Ratcatcher II (Daniela Melchior). Ratcatcher II was created especially for the film, and was not featured in the original DC comics — however, she is the daughter of one of DC's most unique villains. We learn more about Ratcatcher II through flashback sequences during the movie, and we also get a look at her predecessor, the original Ratcatcher. During these flashbacks, fans were quick to recognize a much-anticipated appearance of another prominent figure in the MCU — jack-of-all-trades Taika Waititi.
Waititi has become a new favorite in the film and television industry, making his debut in the MCU as the director and co-writer of "Thor: Ragnarok." However, the New Zealand native has had a number of acting roles as well, and it's likely you've seen him in at least one of them.
Waititi starred with Ryan Reynolds in Green Lantern
"The Suicide Squad" isn't the first DC film that Taika Waititi has made an appearance in — he also played a supporting role in 2011's "Green Lantern," alongside Ryan Reynolds, who was cast as Hal Jordan. Waititi played Tom Kalmaku in the film, an expert aviation tech and best friend to Hal, aka the Green Lantern. Tom was the one who designed the U-CAVS that Hal test drove at the beginning of the movie, and he was also the one to whom Hal first revealed his secret superhero identity.
Waititi was cast in the film after a director from Warner Brothers saw his independent film, "Boy," which he wrote, directed, and played a supporting role in. In 2010, Waititi admitted that he really wasn't sure why he was cast in the role. "I don't know what they were thinking, to be honest," Waititi told News Hit. "But I wasn't really gonna ask. I just said, 'Yes. I'll do it.'" Unfortunately, "Green Lantern" was not the financial or critical success that Warner Brothers had hoped for, and the film currently holds a dismal 26% reviewer score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Waititi played a vampire in What We Do in the Shadows
After making indie dramedy films such as "Boy" and "Eagle vs. Shark," Taika Waititi made the switch to full-on comedy with 2014's "What We Do in the Shadows." Waititi wrote, directed, and starred in the documentary-style movie about a group of vampires living as roommates in modern-day society.
Waititi plays Viago, a hopeful romantic with a positive outlook on life, even though he's been an immortal blood-sucker for nearly 200 years. Viago is the house leader, of sorts, who tries to keep the peace between the supernatural creatures living under the same roof. Also starring in the film is Jemaine Clement as Vladislav, who co-wrote and co-directed the movie with Waititi. Praised for its impressive special effects and quirky humor, "What We Do in the Shadows" became a huge cult hit, resulting in a spinoff TV series created by Waititi and Clement for the FX network in 2019. Waititi even reprised his role as Viago in Season 1, Episode 7's "The Trial," who appears as a member of the Vampire Council.
Waititi based Korg on New Zealand bouncers
By now, almost everyone knows that Taika Waititi played a supporting role in "Thor: Ragnarok," on top of directing and co-writing the 2017 film. Although his performance is done via motion capture, that's Waititi himself as the absurdly polite and friendly Korg, a rock alien whom Thor (Chris Hemsworth) meets while imprisoned on Sakaar by the Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum).
Korg quickly became a fan favorite in the MCU, likely due to Waititi's understated portrayal of the character. As a Kronan warrior, Korg is a formidable force with his super strength and skill as a gladiator. Yet, beneath that stony exterior lies a heart of gold and a witty sense of humor. In 2018, Waititi talked about his inspiration for Korg on the British talk show, "The Last Leg."
"In New Zealand we have [a lot of] Polynesian bouncers . . . giant, giant, hulking young dudes with very delicate souls," Waititi said. "It's very intimidating when you got to try and get into a night club, [and they say] 'Sorry, we're at capacity tonight, my friend ... Tonight's not your night, maybe try again another night' ... It's very hard to, like, figure out what to do in that situation. Do you pick a fight with them, because their voice really [betrays a bit] who they are."
Jojo Rabbit is possibly Waititi's most controversial film
In 2019, Taika Waititi starred in, directed, and co-wrote the dark comedy "Jojo Rabbit," which earned a number of Academy Award nominations, and a win for Best Adapted Screenplay (via Oscars.org). The controversial film takes place in Germany at the end of World War II and is told through the eyes of a 10-year-old boy named Johannes, nicknamed Jojo (Roman Griffith Davis). Jojo is a loyal Nazi party fanatic, who creates an imaginary friend based on his role model, Adolf (Waititi) ... yes, that Adolf. Young Jojo is shocked when he discovers that his mother, Rosie (Scarlett Johansson), is harboring a young Jewish fugitive in their home.
In January 2020, Waititi wrote a piece for Vanity Fair explaining why he was inspired to make "Jojo Rabbit." Waititi said that his mother gave him a copy of a book called "Caging Skies," on which the film was based. Reading that book caused him to consider how war affects those who are not actually involved in the fighting, especially children.
"This idea of how war affects children is what led me to connect on a deeper level with the story and themes in 'Caging Skies,'" Waititi wrote. "The idea of trying to understand this little boy who we should despise, and seeing Nazi Germany falling apart through his eyes, that felt like a challenge. As a way to externalize the battle that is going on in Jojo's head throughout the film, I added in the imaginary Hitler character."
Waititi went on to reveal how surprised he was that themes of "Jojo Rabbit" are still relevant in today's turbulent times. "It's shocking and kind of sad to think that a film like this would have even more relevance than ever, but it's also a reminder of just how important these stories are," he noted.