Over the past couple of years, leaked Hunger Games scripts indicated that the filmmakers attempted to add more Gale to the film.

Now we’re getting official confirmation and learning what they had in mind.

E! Online spoke to producer Nina Jacobsen who interestingly reveals they wrote a scene where Gale sneaks into the Capitol with Katniss:

“We did try out some things, just to sort of see what would it mean to have more Gale in the first movie,” H.G. producer Nina Jacobson confirmed to us about rumors that at one point there existed a script that altered from the book. “Because we’re establishing such an important character and he has so little screen time.”

Of course, she’s talking Liam, whose big-screen alter ego [SPOILER ALERT!] goes on to become a rebel in the Capitol uprising. But for now—at least according to the book—Gale takes a backseat while Peeta and Katniss head to the games.

“When Billy Ray came on to the screenplay—with Suzanne [Collins]—we tried out some ideas to see whether there were places to digress,” Nina continued, discussing a second draft of the screenplay (the eventual script was a tag team between Suzanne and director Gary Ross). “So what would it mean to have more Gale and how would you do it?”

According to whispers about what exactly that script par-tick contained, Gale would have snuck aboard the Capitol-bound train with Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and disguised himself as an Avox (a tongueless slave) to stay close to her.

And guess what—Suzanne Collins was totally on board with this—fairly radical, most loyal Mockingjays would argue—reinterpretation of the novel.

“She was very much a part of the conversation. She’s very receptive. She’s very smart. She was very open to the idea of having more Gale,” Ms. Jacobson explained. “I think she was more open to it than I was, actually. We would have arguments about it. I wanted to go back to the more faithful version; she was more receptive to these changes.”

We presume they wanted to add more Gale to help beef up the love triangle OR to make Peeta, Gale, and Katniss look more like a trio.

We’re thrilled to hear they decided against it, as surely most fans would’ve been disappointed.