Anthony Hopkins is Wrexham’s dragon mascot in STōK Super Bowl ad

Sir Anthony Hopkins has played everyone from Hannibal Lecter and Richard Nixon to Odin and Methuselah. Now, he’s prepping for his most transformative role yet: Wrex the Dragon.

In a new Super Bowl ad for STōK Cold Brew Coffee, the legendary Oscar winner pumps himself up for his new gig at Racecourse Ground, where he hypes up the crowd at a Wrexham A.F.C. match.

The commercial, which was created by Wrexham owner Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort and Welcome to Wrexham director Bryan Rowland, uses Hopkins’ on-screen seriousness to its comedic advantage. “To act is to deceive. And to deceive, one must forget oneself,” the two-time Oscar winner says broodingly. “Every metamorphosis is demanding, but to become this beast — well, that requires a little extra kick,” he says as he contemplates his work and studies himself in the mirror. 

“Now, hear me roar!” Hopkins shouts as he puts on a cartoonish dragon mascot head. “This is what they came to see! They love me!” he shouts, running around the stadium and invigorating Wrexham’s supporters in the stands.

“Ironically, it is the cold brew that births the fire-breathing dragon,” Hopkins says in the locker room, sipping a glass of the caffeinated beverage.

“Second half is starting, Tony,” someone yells from off-camera.

Hopkins is coming off of a busy post-Oscar career surge. After winning his second Academy Award for Best Actor for Florian Zeller’s The Father in 2021, the thespian starred in James Gray’s Armageddon Time, reunited with Zeller for The Son, played kindertransport hero Nicholas Winton in One Life, portrayed Sigmund Freud in Freud’s Last Session, and voiced a character in Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire. He’ll reprise that last role in this year’s Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver and will soon headline Peacock’s sword-and-sandals series ​​Those About to Die. He also previously cameoed as a replacement Alexa voice in Amazon’s 2021 Super Bowl ad. 

Watch the full STōK commercial above.

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