- Chris Hemsworth’s role as the villain Dementus in “Furiosa” showcases his range as an actor who can convincingly play both heroes and villains.
- The trailer for “Furiosa” hints at Dementus being a more humorous and eccentric antagonist compared to another great villain Hemsworth portrayed in “Bad Times at the El Royale.”
- Hemsworth’s performance as the manipulative cult leader Billy Lee in “Bad Times at the El Royale” proves he has the charisma and charm necessary to make his villains easy to hate.
Chris Hemsworth’s role as the villain, Dementus, in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga serves as the perfect reminder of another great villain he portrayed in a 2018 thriller. Chris Hemsworth’s most iconic role was as the superhero Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but he has portrayed villains before. Hemsworth’s Furiosa character differs from his other villain roles, though he has enough range to make Dementus a believable and intimidating antagonist. He has proven himself capable of playing the bad guy before, and one of his roles from six years ago is still captivating today.
While not much is known about the movie yet, the trailer gave some insights into the Furiosa villain Dementus’ history in Mad Max. The Furiosa villain has a connection with Mad Max: Fury Road by way of the film’s antagonist, Immortan Joe. The trailer also showed that Hemsworth’s villain will be leaning into the madness of the Wasteland as he dons a cape around his neck and a teddy bear on his vest. Dementus seems to be a more humorous antagonist, which is in stark contrast to another great villain played by Hemsworth.
Chris Hemsworth Played A Great Villain In Bad Times At The El Royale 6 Years Before Furiosa
The 2018 thriller Bad Times at the El Royale showcases Hemworth’s capability as a villainous figure. The movie takes place at an eerie hotel with a secret tunnel to view its guests and a group of guests with even more secrets to hide. As the movie progresses, it becomes clear that none of the characters are what they seem. Dakota Johnson’s Emily begins as a kidnapper but is later revealed to be on a special mission involving a dangerous cult. Hemsworth plays the manipulative Billy Lee in Bad Times at the El Royale, the leader of the cult and the source of most of the movie’s problems.
Hemsworth is captivating as Billy Lee, and he makes the cult leader extremely easy to hate. Both Hemsworth’s appearance and his natural charm also make it believable that Billy Lee is manipulative enough to brainwash the other cult members into doing his bidding. He’s charismatic and persuasive in the flashback to his speech around the bonfire, and Hemsworth conveys the delight Billy Lee’s power over others gave the character. As good of a villain as Billy Lee is, not all of his characteristics will transfer over to Furiosa‘s Dementus.
How Chris Hemsworth’s Bad Times & Furiosa Villains Compare
Billy Lee leads his cult by virtue of his charisma and good looks in Bad Times at the El Royale, even going as far as to pit two of his followers against each other for a chance to sleep with him. The Furiosa trailer hints that Dementus may give a speech to his followers to encourage them to stick with him, as Billy Lee did in the 2018 movie. However, Dementus will likely rely mostly on his strength, as that is the most valuable trait to have in the Wasteland. The trailer shows Dementus in front of a cage full of enslaved people that he presumably took by force, which could be evidence that he’s not one for brainwashing.
Chris Hemsworth’s role as the villain Dementus in Furiosa is sure to be interesting, and one of his former roles shows that he can pull off being an antagonist. Hemsworth’s performance as Billy Lee in Bad Times at the El Royale proves he has the range necessary to play both heroes and villains. The characters are quite different, but Hemsworth should be more than qualified for his new villainous role in Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.