NEWSRyan Reynolds Goes Undercover as Deadpool at Comic-Con in Fan-Friendly Stunt
Ryan Reynolds secretly attended Comic-Con dressed as Deadpool.
July 31 2026, Published 9:30 a.m. ET
Ryan Reynolds gave Comic-Con fans the kind of story conventions are built for: the Deadpool cosplayer they stopped for a photo was actually Deadpool.
After appearing during Marvel Studios’ San Diego Comic-Con presentation Saturday, Reynolds revealed that he had also walked the convention floor in costume, taking photos with fans who did not realize they were meeting the actor himself.
In a video posted afterward, Reynolds showed the disguise and reflected on the moment.
Fans unknowingly posed for photos with the actor.
“The fans got Deadpool off the ground so many years ago,” Reynolds wrote. “Yesterday, 10 years after the first film and exactly 2 years after Deadpool & Wolverine, I felt so lucky to be on the #SDCC floor with everyone whose unapologetic devotion brings so much joy to this world. No handlers, no security, no ropes. WHAT A GIFT.”
A Comic-Con Stunt Built for Fans
Experts praised the surprise stunt as authentic fan engagement.
“I can't emphasize how important it is for celebrities to directly interact with their fans,” said Ryan McCormick, co-founder of Goldman McCormick PR. “Personal face-to-face experiences last a lifetime.”
Comic-Con, he added, is exactly the kind of place where that effort lands.
“These events are a perfect venue for a stunt like what Ryan Reynolds pulled,” McCormick explained. “They get appreciated to their fullest because they are in the presence of their most loyal followers.”
Reynolds’ video also showed him entering the Marvel presentation as Robert Downey Jr. called out, “Who’s this guy with the swords and stuff?”
Reynolds answered in character-adjacent fashion: “Long-time listener, first-time caller. This seems an awfully expensive way to announce a film. When do you start filming?”
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Why the Surprise Worked
Ryan Reynolds celebrated with supporters after the appearance.
“We've entered an era where audiences are less interested in polished celebrity than they are in proximity,” said Sunny Bonnell, Co-Founder and CEO of branding agency Motto and author of Rare Breed. “Fans don't just want to watch culture unfold. They want to believe they were part of it.”
Reynolds’ walk through Comic-Con did exactly that, and it was perfectly in keeping with Reynolds’ brand.
“Ryan Reynolds has spent years cultivating a persona built on self-awareness, accessibility, and humor. A surprise appearance like this … reinforces everything people already believe about him,” Bonnell explained.
Authentic or Orchestrated? Why Not Both?
The undercover moment delighted Marvel fans at the convention.
“Authenticity has never meant ‘unscripted.’ The most memorable public moments are often meticulously orchestrated,” Bonnell pointed out.
“If the stunt reflects the personality people already associate with the individual, they're willing to embrace the planning behind it. If it feels manufactured solely to generate headlines, audiences detect that almost instantly,” she added.
“Planning doesn't diminish authenticity,” she said. “It creates the conditions for authenticity to be experienced at scale.”
