Furiosa star Chris Hemsworth dishes more information about his mysterious villain in the upcoming prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road. George Miller's long-awaited 2015 return to the world of Mad Max relegated Tom Hardy's titular hero, in some ways, to more of a supporting role this time around, with Charlize Theron's Furiosa largely carrying the emotional weight of the film. Although a sequel to Mad Max: Fury Road has yet to materialize, a prequel movie chronicling Furiosa's origins is now in post-production, with Miller returning as director and Anya Taylor-Joy taking on the titular role. Little is known about the project so far, but it's been confirmed that Hemsworth will be playing Furiosa's central bad guy.
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Chris Hemsworth opens up about his villain character and divulges additional details about what fans can expect from him when Furiosa hits theaters in 2024. While careful to not give too much away, Hemsworth explains that despite the character's evil exterior, there will be complexity to the villain and parts of him to empathize with. Check out Hemsworth's full comment below:
"He's a very complicated, somewhat evil individual. ... Yeah, you don't believe you're evil though. I'm saying that from the outset, I found ways to defend his actions and empathize and understand him as I had to. That was my job. But yeah, there's a light and a darkness to him that I haven't played with before."
What Role Hemsworth Could Play In Furiosa
While nothing has been confirmed beyond the fact that Hemsworth is playing a villain, there has long been speculation that he could be playing someone from within the Mad Max universe, specifically Immortan Joe. Colonel Joe Moore, more commonly referred to as Immortan Joe, was the central antagonist in Mad Max: Fury Road played by the late Hugh Kaeys-Byrne. The character serves as the tyrannical ruler of a large civilization in a post-apocalyptic wasteland where he keeps many wives. When Furiosa helps these wives escape at the beginning of Mad Max: Fury Road, the movie's central chase begins, eventually ending with the villain's gruesome death in a massive car wreck.
If indeed Hemsworth is playing a younger version of Immortan Joe, the movie could explain how the villain rises to power and why Furiosa eventually comes to serve him as his general. Furiosa set photos of Hemsworth have already provided a first look at the actor in character, which includes sporting long hair and facial prosthetics to drastically change his appearance. While his new look doesn't necessarily feature too many similarities to Mad Max: Fury Road's Immortan Joe, Kaeys-Byrne's version of the character wore a mask throughout the film, making comparing their facial features impossible.
Of course, there's always a chance that Hemsworth's villain is a new character entirely, who hasn't appeared in any Mad Max movies before. This may arguably be the best approach the film could take, with Immortan Joe's fate already being well known. Not only does Furiosa serve to further explore the origins of Theron's Max Max: Fury Road general, but the film could also introduce a brand new, more complex villain that audiences have never seen before.
Source: Vanity Fair
