Anthony Hopkins Becomes the Mascot for Ryan Reynolds’s Wrexham AFC in STōK’s Super Bowl Commercial

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Hopkins, 86, transforms into the mascot Wrex the Dragon in the big game commercial

STōK's Super Bowl commercial isn't about the football you would expect.

On American football's biggest night, Sir Anthony Hopkins will celebrate Wrexham AFC, the Welsh soccer (er, football) team owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Hopkins transforms into Wrexham's mascot, Wrex the Dragon, for the big game spot (above) created by Reynolds's Maximum Effort production company.

"To act is to deceive," says Hopkins. "But, to become this beast well, that requires a little extra kick."

"Now, hear me roar," the actor, 86, continues in the commercial before putting on the head of the dragon.

<p>STōK Cold Brew</p> Sir Anthony Hopkins in STōK's Super Bowl commercial

STōK Cold Brew

Sir Anthony Hopkins in STōK's Super Bowl commercial

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Once in full costume, he is seen interacting with fans on the field. Hopkins's voice booms: "This is what they came to see. They love me! Roar!"

<p>STōK Cold Brew</p> Sir Anthony Hopkins in STōK's Super Bowl commercial

STōK Cold Brew

Sir Anthony Hopkins in STōK's Super Bowl commercial

In the final scene, Hopkins confesses, "Ironically it is the cold brew that births the fire-breathing dragon." He sips a big glass of STōK's cold brew in a locker room before being warned by a voice off-screen that the second half of the game is about to start.

“People are used to seeing brew commercials during the Big Game, but I don’t think they expect it to be cold brew, let alone a cold brew coffee brand celebrating a Welsh soccer team,” said STōK's Brittney Polka in a statement.

Related: Jason Sudeikis, Lionel Messi, and Dan Marino Tease a Sandy Soccer Match in Michelob Ultra’s Super Bowl Commercial

The vice president of ready-to-drink beverages at Danone North America continued: “STōK isn’t afraid to make bold moves and challenge the norms of traditional marketing. Partnering with Sir Anthony Hopkins to bring Wrexham AFC to [American] football’s biggest stage is exactly the kind of bold act that fans have come to expect from STōK."

<p>STōK Cold Brew</p> STōK's Super Bowl commercial

STōK Cold Brew

STōK's Super Bowl commercial

As for the soccer team, it gained notoriety around the world when Reynolds, 47, bought it in 2021 along with fellow actor McElhenney, who has starred in 16 seasons of the FX show It's Always Sunny In Philidelphia. STōK is the official stadium sponsor of Wrexham AFC.

The team is the subject of the 2022 FX documentary Welcome to Wrexham.

STōK's commercial will air during the Super Bowl when the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers face off. Super Bowl LVIII is on CBS on Feb. 11 at 6:30 p.m. ET.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.