This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

As Manchester United captain, Wayne Rooney can reasonably be expected to do anything for the team – and that appears to extend beyond football.

Rooney has appeared in a bizarre teaser for the X-Men: Apocalypse movie, which was released in the UK on Wednesday. The short film, promoted on United’s social media channels, shows a group of characters looking for “a group of mutants to help us defeat Apocalypse”, in particular seeking one with “intensity and incredible focus”.

Manchester United (@ManUtd) Anything for the team you say, @WayneRooney? Good luck! #XMenApocalypse https://t.co/ym1XtMansq

The camera lands on Rooney, who is summoned to the battlefield and replies: “Anything for the team.” Rooney’s preparedness for the task is perhaps in doubt – “Apoca-who?” he asks after being briefed.

The number of things United will not do for commercial exposure certainly appears to be dwindling. Three of their mascots at Tuesday’s win over Bournemouth had their faces painted blue in another promotion for the movie, and that is only the tip of a formidable iceberg.

Rooney will have to make do with the more prosaic surroundings on Saturday when a game of football breaks out at Wembley.