Dwayne Johnson doesn’t get to play many villains, but an underrated comedy from seventeen years ago proves why he should return to playing antagonists. Finding his big break in film with a minor role in The Mummy Returns, Dwayne Johnson quickly transitioned from the wrestling ring to the big screen. After a brief period early on which he played numerous kinds of characters, Johnson settled into being one of modern cinema’s most recognizable action stars. As a result, Dwayne Johnson’s villain roles are rare nowadays, with the actor gradually cementing himself as a charming action hero through several blockbuster successes.

While movies like the two Jumanji remakes have allowed Johnson to flex his comedic muscles and other movies like Black Adam have given him anti-heroes to play with, Dwayne Johnson still typically only plays heroes — which is a shame, given the talent he’s shown in the past in playing villains. In fact, one of the actor’s most underrated performances from a Steve Carrell-led comedy highlights how easily Dwayne Johnson can twist his natural charisma and action skills into a surprisingly effective evil performance. While many audiences might not remember the performance, it’s a clear sign Johnson should play more villains.

Dwayne Johnson Was Great As A Villain In Get Smart

Agent 23 Was A Surprisingly Solid Villain Performance From Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnson has spent the last two decades primarily playing heroes, but proved he was actually pretty great as a villain in films like Get Smart. An overall entertaining if somewhat forgettable adaptation of Mel Brooks’ spy comedy of the same name, Get Smart featured Steve Carrell and Anne Hathaway in the lead roles of Maxwell Smart and Agent 99, respectively. Initially, Johnson appears to be in the kind of role that would become the norm for the actor, playing the hyper-competent but friendly Agent 23. However, 23 is eventually revealed to be the final villain of the action comedy.

It turns out Agent 23 is part of the conspiracy to ᴀssᴀssinate the US President. Agent 23 may have initially been a comedic character, and his disbelief at Max’s surprising adaptability is played for laughs in the climax. However, Johnson doesn’t play Agent 23 with the natural charm and sillier tendencies he earlier brought to the character. There’s a genuine change in Agent 23 when he’s exposed as a villain, Johnson’s action skills translating into a villainous beat-down and charm curdled into a genuinely creepy vibe directed towards 99. It’s a surprisingly solid villain performance from Johnson that deserved follow-ups.

Dwayne Johnson Rarely Gets To Be The Bad Guy

Dwayne Johnson’s More Morally Complex Characters Are Usually Still Likable Or Heroic

However, that wasn’t in the cards for Dwayne Johnson’s career trajectory. Get Smart was also the same era for the actor where he played complex characters in films like Southland while also codifying his public persona with heroic characters in family comedies like Tooth Fairy and action franchises like The Fast & The Furious. Many of Johnson’s characters began to be defined by the same sense of charm and personality that he used in his public persona, shifting him away from playing villains. Whereas he’d occasionally play complex characters like in Pain & Gain, many of Johnson’s characters became heroes.

Potentially morally complex roles like Black Adam were tweaked into more of an anti-hero in films like the DC Extended Universe’s Black Adam. Even Johnson’s early villainous turn in The Mummy Returns was reimagined for the spin-off film The Scorpion King, allowing Johnson to play a more heroic ancestor to his villain of the same name. The Fast & The Furious used him as an antagonist but made it clear he was a heroic character in contrast to the noble criminals at the heart of the franchise. Johnson rarely got to be an overt villain anymore, which is a shame.

Dwayne Johnson Clearly Wants To Play Baddies Again

Dwayne Johnson’s Wrestling Return Relied On His Skills As A Heel

Dwayne Johnson actually does a good job as a bad guy, with Agent 23 highlighting how his natural talents translate to villain roles. It’s an interesting balance that could elevate a standard antagonist into a compelling character. Johnson has even admitted being drawn to those kinds of roles. During a Reddit AMA a decade ago, Johnson admitted he’d only want to join The Expendables franchise if it meant he could play the villain. His skills as an actor and talents as an action star would make him an ideal actor to play the big villain in a high-stakes action movie.

Johnson also exhibited what he can do in a villain role during his recent wrestling return. Reprising his old moniker as the Rock in the WWE from before he became a mᴀssive movie star, Johnson embraced being a villainous heel at Monday Night Raw. The performer brought a sense of self-aware habitability to his persona in the ring. Dwayne Johnson does well in villain roles and clearly has fun in them, all of which help make the case that he should simply step away from his typically heroic roles for a while and experiment with playing the bad guy again.

Hollywood Should Let Dwayne Johnson Be A Villain Again

Agent 23 was great proof of what Dwayne Johnson can bring to a villainous role, playing him for laughs and genuine danger as needed. Since Get Smart, Johnson has grown as a performer in some exciting ways. However, he has typically been slotted into a basic set of heroic roles. Letting Johnson play an overtly villainous character instead of making him an empathetic anti-hero would be a great opportunity for the actor to flex his creative muscles. Johnson clearly enjoys getting to play his talents for darker characters, as seen in the bombastic approach he brings to his wrestling persona.

It would also be a nice change of pace for Johnson, who has become almost typecast in heroic roles. His comedic timing, action chops, and natural charisma make him well-suited for hero roles. However, Johnson has always been at his most compelling as an actor when he gets roles that twist his charm into new forms. Movies like his upcoming collaboration with Benny Sadfie are a good sign for Dwayne Johnson’s future role variety, but playing with villains as he did in Get Smart could continue to challenge the actor and be a good way to showcase his full talents.