Willem Dafoe

Willem Dafoe (1955 - )

Willem Dafoe in "Spider-Man" (2002).

Film Deaths

• To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) [Eric Masters]: Burned to death when he drops a burning torch on himself after being shot by John Pankow in a burning warehouse.

• Platoon (1986) [Sgt. Elias Grodin]: Shot repeatedly by Viet Cong troops, after being wounded and left for dead by Tom Berenger.

• The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) [Jesus of Nazareth]: Executed by crucifixion.

• Wild at Heart (1990) [Bobby Peru]: Accidentally decapitated by a shotgun blast when he falls onto his own gun (after being shot and wounded by police during a hit made to look like a robbery).

• Flight of the Intruder (1991) [Commander Virgil Cole]: Killed by a US A-1 bomber’s airstrike on Willem’s orders in order to destroy an anti-aircraft vehicle that shot down Danny Glover and Brad Johnson’s bomber planes.

• Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997) [John Geiger]: Killed in an explosion when his hydroplane collides with an oil tanker (with the exposed wire sparking the leaking fuel).

• Existenz (1999) [Gas]: Shot in the back with a nail-gun-like device by Jude Law in Willem's gas station (This later turns out to be a simulation and he survives in reality).

• Bullfighter (2000) [Father Ramirez]: Shot to death while saving Olivier Martinez.

• Shadow of the Vampire (2000) [Max Schreck]: Incinerated/spontaneously combusts from exposure by the light of the rising sun as John Malkovich films it, after Dafoe kills Udo Kier and Cary Elwes during a fight (Dafoe was wearing heavy vampire makeup) (Schreck actually died in 1936 and was never a real vampire).

• Pavilion of Women (2001) [Father Andre]: Shot to death by Japanese soldiers, after he throws rocks at them and runs away to make them chase him, in order to draw them away from the hiding Chinese villagers.

• Spider-Man (2002) [Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin]: Accidentally impaled by his own "goblin-glider" when he tries to kill Tobey Maguire and Tobey gets out of the way thanks to his "spider-sense". Tobey then carries the body back to Willem's home after changing him out of his super-villain costume. (Willem also reprised the role as the Green Goblin's evil spirit in the two sequels). (See also Willem's death in the video game adaptation of the film.)

• Auto Focus (2002) [John Carpenter]: Dies of a heart attack (off-screen), several years after the story takes place; his death is mentioned in Greg Kinnear's beyond-the-grave narration.

• Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) [Barillo]: Falls over a balcony after being shot in the head by Ruben Blades and Antonio Banderas in the president's manor.

• Ripley Underground (2005) [Neil Murchison]: Impaled on the head with a giant statue by Barry Pepper, causing him to fall down a small stairway and bleed to death on the floor.

• xXx: State of the Union (2005) [General George Deckert]: Killed in an explosion when Samuel L. Jackson fires a missile via helicopter at Willem's train.

• Tales from Earthsea (2006; animated) [Cob]: Burned to death when Therru (Blaire Restaneo) sets him on fire (after she turns into a dragon), who then causes the tower they're on to collapse.

• Anamorph (2007) [Stan Aubray]: Stabbed and shot to death by Don Harvey. He dies as Scott Speedman tries to save him.

• The Walker (2007) [Senator Larry Lockner]: Killed by an assassin.

• Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009; animated) [Rat]: Electrocuted when he gets knocked against an electrical panel at the end of a fight with Mr. Fox (George Clooney); he dies shortly afterwards as Fox kneels by his side.

• 4:44 Last Day on Earth (2011) [Cisco]: Killed (along with Shanyn Leigh) and everybody else on Earth when the world comes to an end.

• Tomorrow You're Gone (2012) [The Buddha]: Stabbed in the stomach with a knife by Stephen Dorff, after Dafoe shoots Dorff.

• Out of the Furnace (2013) [John Petty]: Shot in the head by Woody Harrelson, as Casey Affleck looks on helplessly.

• The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) [Jopling]: Pushed off a cliff by Tony Revolori, as Willem is attempting to break the icy ledge that Ralph Fiennes is hanging from.

• Pasolini (2014) [Pier Paolo Pasolini]: Deliberately run over repeatedly with his own car.

• John Wick (2014) [Marcus]: Tortured and shot to death by Michael Nyqvist and Adrianne Palicki for betraying them. His body shows when Keanu Reeves walks in and found him dead.

• The Great Wall (2016) [Ballard]: Killed in an explosion when one of the bandits mistakes a firecracker with a bomb.

• Dog Eat Dog (2016) [Mad Dog]: Shot underneath the chin by Christopher Matthew Cook.

• At Eternity's Gate (2018) [Vincent Van Gogh]: Accidentally shot in the stomach by kids playing around with a gun. (This is just based on a theory of how Van Gogh was shot, what exactly happens remains unknown).

• The Lighthouse (2019) [Thomas Wake] Struck in the head with an axe by Robert Pattinson.  

TV Deaths

• The Hitchhiker: Ghostwriter (1986) [Jeffrey Hunt]: Drowned when his car goes off of a bridge, while fleeing from M. Emmet Walsh and the other police. (Thanks to Robert)

• Fishing With John: Willem Dafoe (1991) [Willem Dafoe]: Dies (off screen) of starvation after he and John Lurie run out of cheese crackers while fishing. His death is indicated by the narrator (Robb Webb) at the end of the episode along with John, but at the start of the next episode Dennis Hopper the narrator says John didn't die, perhaps implying that John at his remains.

Video Game Deaths

• Spider-Man (2002; video game) [Green Goblin/Norman Osborn]: Accidentally impaled by the blades of his own vehicle when he attempts to use the vehicle to kill Tobey Maguire; he dies after speaking to Tobey. (See also Willem's death in the film version.)

• James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing (2004) [Nikolai Diavolo]: Falls to his death when Pierce Brosnan destroys the tower Willem is inside, causing him to fall into an open missile silo.

• Beyond: Two Souls (2013) [Nathan Dawkins]: Commits suicide by shooting himself in the head, strangled to death by Ellen Page's spiritual protector, or shot in the chest during a struggle with Eric Winter; his death is dependent on the player's actions. If Willem commits suicide, he appears as a spirit to Ellen with his family before disappearing.

Music Video Deaths

• Antony and the Johnsons: Cut the World (2012) [The Man]: Throat slit by Carice van Houten.

Notable Connections

• Husband of Giada Colagrande (director).

Gallery

Willem Dafoe death scene in Platoon

Willem Dafoe in The Last Temptation of Christ

Willem Dafoe in Spider-Man

Willem Dafoe's animated death in Fantastic Mr. Fox

Willem Dafoe's animated death in Tales From Earth Sea

Willem Dafoe's video game death in Beyond: Two Souls

Willem Dafoe's death in Speed 2: Cruise Control

Willem Dafae's death in To Live and Die in L.A.

Willem Dafoe before his death in XXX: State of the Union

Willem Dafoe in The Lighthouse