Ryan Reynolds found himself on the receiving end of a surprise soccer-related joke from fellow Hollywood star Paul Rudd during a Marvel Comic-Con appearance, as the pair turned a famous Deadpool & Wolverine moment into a playful dig at AFC Wrexham.
The exchange came after Reynolds, who co-owns Wrexham with Rob McElhenney, referenced one of the biggest unanswered jokes from the Marvel film. In Deadpool & Wolverine, Deadpool sees Thor crying over his apparent death, leaving fans wondering about the circumstances behind the scene.
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When Reynolds asked Rudd why Thor was crying, the actor delivered an unexpected answer that had soccer fans laughing.
“Where is Thor and why was he crying? He is a Wrexham fan,” Rudd joked.
The comment was a clear reference to Wrexham’s recent promotion push and their disappointment after narrowly missing out on a place in the Premier League.
The Welsh club has become one of soccer’s biggest stories since Reynolds and McElhenney completed their takeover in 2021, rising from the National League to the Championship in just three seasons.
However, their fairytale journey suffered a setback last season as Wrexham finished seventh in the Championship, falling just short of another historic promotion.
Wrexham remain focused on Premier League dream
Despite missing out on the top flight, Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson believes his squad can return stronger ahead of the 2026/27 season.
“This squad as it stands, with a preseason together, will be even stronger next year,” Parkinson said. “Of course we’ll always look to add to that to try and give ourselves an even better chance.
“We know where we’d like to strengthen and what we need to improve on. We’ll do that and we’ll make this squad as strong as we possibly can to mount a challenge next year.”
The club’s rapid rise has continued to attract global attention, with their story becoming even more popular through the Welcome to Wrexham documentary series.
Their next challenge begins with another ambitious campaign as they look to secure another promotion push and move closer to Reynolds’ long-term dream of seeing the club compete in the Premier League.
Reynolds with another huge Wrexham milestone
Before the competitive season begins, Wrexham will return to the United States for a high-profile pre-season tour featuring matches against Leeds United, Liverpool and Sunderland.
The meeting with Liverpool at Yankee Stadium is expected to be one of the biggest fixtures in the club’s modern history, and Reynolds admitted the occasion is difficult to comprehend.
“It’s not even, it’s so far beyond pinch me. It’s like a punch me moment,” Reynolds said. “I mean, the fact that Wrexham is coming to America, on their third trip.
“We’re not only coming to America to play again, in what has always been the most exhilarating and exciting thing to see live, but to do it with three Premier League teams in a row is pretty amazing.”
The Hollywood owner added that facing Liverpool at such an iconic venue represented another unbelievable moment in the club’s journey: “Liverpool is as big as it gets, certainly, on the world stage. So we’re very excited to see what we can do.”
While Rudd’s Comic-Con joke was made in good humor, it highlighted the remarkable transformation of Wrexham from a non-league side into one of soccer’s most recognizable clubs.
