16 March 2023 , 14:00
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Ryan Reynolds has seen his wealth boom by several hundred million overnight after Mint Mobile, the phone company he had a 25% stake in, was acquired by T-Mobile in a deal worth $1.35bn (£1.1bn).
The Wrexham owner and Hollywood star will remain with the network in a “creative role” but reports in America say that he has made $337.5m (£280m) from the deal announced on Wednesday afternoon.
"I never dreamt I'd own a wireless company and I certainly never dreamt I'd sell it to T-Mobile,” Reynolds said on Twitter after the Mint Mobile sale was announced. "Life is strange and I'm incredibly proud and grateful."
And it is the second huge business transaction that the Deadpool star has been involved in in three years after Diageo bought Aviation Gin, an alcohol business he had an unknown stake in, for an initial $335m (£277m) with an additional $275m (£228m) to come depending on the company’s growth in the next decade.
The 46-year-old has a number of other businesses in his varied portfolio - making it difficult to settle on an accurate total worth. Forbes have previously estimated he has a net worth of $75m but that will have since skyrocketed.
Ryan Reynolds mispronounces name of new Wrexham signing in hilarious video
Wrexham, the National League leaders whom he purchased with fellow actor Rob McElhenney in late 2020, have been transformed from a proud regional club to a familiar name across the United States off the back of their arrival.
The Welcome to Wrexham documentary series shown on FX has become a cult hit and should they win promotion to the EFL, having fallen into non-League in 2007/08, there will be a further rise in interest from abroad.
Wrexham are currently one point ahead of Notts County with a game in hand and 23 points clear of the next challengers, Woking, but only one team goes up automatically with the second- and third-placed finishers entering the play-offs.
Reynolds and McElhenney have invested more than £2m in Wrexham, who are top of the National League. (Getty Images)Reynolds and McElhenney have invested more than £2m in the club to date and, in December, King Charles congratulated them for “putting Wrexham on the map” during a royal visit after it was given city status. They have also been given an award for using the club to promote the Welsh language and have made a number of charitable donations to local causes.
Reynolds launched his Maximum Effort production and marketing company with business partner George Dewey in early 2018 and the firm subsequently agreed a significant deal with Fox.
Welcome to Wrexham and the Deadpool sequels, the latest of which is expected to hit screens in 2024, have been produced by the company. Last year they agreed another partnership with Fubo TV. The exact worth of the Fox and Fubo deals have not been announced.