LOS ANGELES » Everyone’s buzzing about the all-star team of do-gooders in "The Avengers," from Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man to Chris Evans’ Captain America to Chris Hemsworth’s god of thunder, Thor.

Well, how about this wily bad guy who’s such a peril that humanity has to assemble half a dozen Marvel Comics superheroes to rein him in?

British actor Tom Hiddleston first played Loki, wicked younger son of Norse king of the gods Odin, in last summer’s "Thor," scheming to banish brother Thor and take his place as heir to the throne. Hiddleston’s Loki proved so diabolical that he’s back as the villain of "The Avengers," which opens today.

As Hiddleston says, Loki is mean and hateful, which can be great fun — and greatly challenging — for an actor to play.

"Sometimes, it’s really hard, especially when you get up in the morning feeling in a good mood, and that sort of innate contentment is of absolutely no use to you, because you’re having to stoke the bonfires of anger and sadness and despair and all that stuff," Hiddleston said.

The 31-year-old classically trained actor, who studied at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, clearly managed to overcome his good moods to imbue Loki with venom. Not only was he cast in "The Avengers," but Hiddleston’s also returning for "Thor 2," planned for release in November 2013.

"He sort of steals the movie," Hemsworth said of Hiddleston in "The Avengers." "He’s the catalyst for everything that’s happening. … (And) he really pulled it off."

Hiddleston co-stars with Rachel Weisz in Terence Davies’ infidelity drama "The Deep Blue Sea," now playing in the U.S. He also just finished production on British TV adaptations of Shakespeare’s "Henry IV" parts one and two, playing Prince Hal, and "Henry V," in which he has the title role.

Despite his comic-book roots, Loki himself has a Shakespearean dimension akin to such villains as Iago in "Othello" and Edmund in "King Lear," Hiddleston said.

"He’s motivated by the same things. He’s motivated by jealousy and pride and ambition and vanity," Hiddleston said. "Shakespeare’s very unforgiving of those things, and in a way, it’s the same job. It’s just, I’m wearing a crazier costume and blowing up Manhattan."