Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney Are Creating an IRL 'Ted Lasso' Called 'Welcome to Wrexham'
ByJamie LernerJun. 23 2021, Published 7:03 p.m. ET
Of all the good news stories of 2020, which we’ll admit were few and far between, one of the standouts was whenDeadpoolstarRyan ReynoldsandIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiaco-creatorRob McElhenneyteamed up to take over Wrexham AFC. As part of the comedic duo’s new ownership, they’re also creating a two-season docuseries on FX titledWelcome to Wrexham.
As we eagerly await theWelcome to Wrexhamrelease date, many of us have questions about what exactly will go down. How will Ryan and Rob fare as football club owners? Do they know anything about owning a Welsh football team?
威尔士,前卫的人们如何感觉阿布t this Hollywood intrusion? Plus, we take a look at the potential cast ofWelcome to Wrexham— specifically Rob and Ryan’s hilarious translator, Maxine Hughes.
Ryan and Rob knew they wanted to make ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ well ahead of its release date.
What started out as a funny text exchange between text-friends (Ryan and Rob had never met IRL when they started discussing their Wrexham takeover) became reality.
It began as an NDA with theWrexham AFCdirector, but when the fan-owners voted on if Ryan and Rob should take over ownership, the cat was out of the bag. Wrexham AFC was fan-owned since 2011, but voted 98 percent in favor of Ryan and Rob taking over.
Ryan Reynoldsand Rob McElhenney decided to put £2 million into the Wrexham AFC to bring them back up to par. Currently in the National League, the fifth tier of UK football leagues, they don’t even qualify for the English Football League. Ryan and Rob, a.k.a. “McReynolds,” aim to renovate the home field, get Wrexham AFC back into the English Football League, and make Wrexham “a global force.”
In making their documentary, which is sure to bring in even more money, McReynolds will show us how they try to bring a team from worst to first. They also chose Wrexham because of its deep-rooted history — it’s the third oldest football club on the planet, and was only booted from the Football League in 2008 after spending 87 successive seasons there.
Fans of football, as well as Welsh citizens, that were all involved in the McReynolds takeover have remarked how down-to-earth Ryan and Rob are. Some have even noted that Rob seems to be a genuine fan, which Rob McElhenney fans have corroborated with the appearance of a Wrexham shield in his Apple TV Plus show,Mythic Quest.
‘Welcome to Wrexham’ might feature an unexpected cast.
Although the cast doesn’t always seem to be the main part of a documentary, in this case, the cast will be essential. Not only will Ryan and Rob be at the heart ofWelcome to Wrexham, but they’ll hopefully surround themselves with both entertaining and knowledgeable people.
So far, they’ve recruited Les Reed, who is a former technical director of the English Football Association, as an adviser to the team, as well as three people from Wrexham’s Supporter’s Trust as vice presidents.
However, one person who probably won’t be making an appearance is Wrexham’s now former head coach Dean Keates. He failed to get the team to playoffs this season, andMcReynoldssaw his expiring contract as an opportunity for a new team leader. It seems like Rob and Ryan want the best for Wrexham and for its fans.
One breakout star from theWelcome to Wrexhampromo, though, isMaxine Hughes. She plays the Welsh translator that Rob and Ryan hire to better connect with Wrexham’s fans — however, she ends up getting to tease the comedic duo with funny quips in Welsh, such as, “The tall skinny one does movies, the muscular one sells cream cheese from Philadelphia, or something.”
Maxine toldBBCthat in real life, Ryan and Rob are “really lovely people [and] very funny” and that they are “100 percent genuine” in their commitment to Wrexham. Rob was apparently even learning Welsh to prepare forWelcome to Wrexham. However, she doesn’t know if she’ll actually be part of the documentary.
The ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ release date is up in the air.
While we don’t actually know the release date ofWelcome to Wrexhamyet, it might not be for some time. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s been difficult for Rob and Ryan to get over to Wales. However, the production crew is reportedly already there, and it does seem like McReynolds has already begun their transformation of Wrexham AFC.
We’ll just have to wait for theWelcome to Wrexhamrelease date to see if they can score their goal on this one.
