Rick Moranis comes out of retirement to star in advert with Ryan Reynolds

Rick Moranis has emerged from his semi-retirement from acting to appear alongside Ryan Reynolds in an advert.

The 67-year-old Ghostbusters star announced a hiatus from the film industry in 1997 after comedy sequel Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves and has appeared only sporadically since then, taking on voice roles and making cameos on TV.

Read more: Movie stars who retired from acting

He is due to make a return to the silver screen for a Disney reboot of the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids series, starring Josh Gad, in the near future.

Before then, though, he has popped up to star alongside Deadpool star Reynolds in a hilariously awkward chat while standing in a field of mint.

Reynolds begins by introducing a new unlimited plan offered by wireless provider Mint — in which he has had an ownership stake since November 2019.

He then brings in Moranis, who asks why he has been invited. Reynolds says: “I'm just a huge fan. No, seriously, massive.”

Read more: Reynolds quips about gin company sale

The return of Moranis is not the first headline-grabbing stunt Reynolds has pulled off when marketing Mint Mobile.

Earlier this year, he launched a streaming service with a catalogue that only consisted of his 2003 heist thriller Foolproof — not a vintage entry in the A-lister’s filmography.

Moranis, meanwhile, has been famously selective about the recent roles he has taken on, turning down cameo appearances in the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot — as well as the upcoming Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

His most prominent role since the late 1990s has been vocal work as the moose Rutt in Disney’s Brother Bear movies.

Read more: Bill Murray missed Moranis and Harold Ramis on Ghostbusters: Afterlife

His return to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids with reboot/sequel Shrunk will see him reprise the role of inventor Wayne Szalinski, with Gad portraying his son Nick — now a scientist in his own right.

The sequel was originally reported as being exclusive to Disney+, but it has now been confirmed as a cinema release.