Thor: The Dark World director Alan Taylor has figured out the secret for why British actors make the best villains in movies and television.

"The British are just absolutely brilliant technicians who can turn it on and turn it off," he said to Total Film Magazine. "Working with Emilia Clarke in Game of Thrones, she's a young woman and she can be laughing with the crew and having a joke but when you say action, she's raging and sobbing and breeding dragons and you say cut and she finishes her joke. It's that degree of control."

Taylor also revealed that it could very well be something even simpler than that.

"I think Americans believe the British as villains because the accent's just kind of villainous," he said. "You sound so sophisticated, there must be something evil about you-we're still fighting the Revolutionary War."

The villains in Thor: The Dark World are both portrayed by British actors. Tom Hiddleston reprises his role as Loki, while Christopher Eccleston joins the film franchise as Malekith.

Hiddleston has helped Loki become a surprisingly beloved character in the franchise, despite his numerous betrayals of his brother.

"It is incredibly surprising and really, deeply humbling. I'm so proud," he told Collider. "I never dreamed that I would ever create a character that was so loved, or whatever he is. I'm not quite sure whether he's loved, but people are fascinated by him. They seem to enjoy his existence. It's cool."

Chris Hemsworth, who stars as Thor, hails from Australia.

Taylor's other directing credits include episodes of The Sopranos, The West Wing, Lost, Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire and Six Feet Under.

Thor: The Dark World arrives in theaters Nov. 8.