In the Apple action-comedy Mayday, dropping for streaming on September 4, 2026, Ryan Reynolds stars as a hotshot U.S. Navy pilot stranded behind Soviet lines who finds an unexpected ally in a gruff former KGB agent played by Kenneth Branagh, delivering a throwback buddy-cop dynamic directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley.
The Bottom Line
- The Premise: Set in 1987, Ryan Reynolds plays Lieutenant Troy “Assassin” Kelly, who ejects behind enemy lines and wakes up tied to a bed in a remote Russian cabin.
- The Dynamic: Kenneth Branagh stars as Nikolai “Nick” Ustinov, a former KGB operative obsessed with American pop culture who patches up Kelly without anesthesia.
- The Creative Team: Written and directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, the PG-13 film runs 1 hour and 50 minutes and streams via Apple TV.
Retro Spy Thrillers Find a New Home on Streaming
It feels appropriate that Mayday is set in 1987. This type of buddy action-comedy was once a staple of movie theaters and could easily have originated during the era in which it takes place. Now, of course, this sort of fare usually goes to streaming, in this case Apple TV.
David Ellison is among the producers, suggesting this endeavor was put together prior to his recent shift in perspective regarding cinema-exclusive releases. The film blends nostalgic genre tropes with high-concept humor, pitching itself as a direct ode to the fast-talking, high-stakes escapades of the late 1980s.
An Unlikely Alliance Behind Enemy Lines
The plot kicks into gear when U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Troy “Assassin” Kelly finds his secret spy mission compromised. Forced to eject from his plane to avoid a deadly collision, he lands in Soviet Russia. The wounded pilot wakes up tied to a bed in a remote cabin where his sole inhabitant, Nikolai Ustinov, performs emergency surgery on his leg without anesthesia.
Nick turns out to be a passionate lover of all things American. His prized possession is a bootleg VHS tape of Top Gun, and he casually tells his suspicious guest that he has never tasted McDonald’s but suspects he would love it. Despite urging Troy to stay “just until the Cold War dies down,” the frantic pilot escapes—briefly setting Nick on fire in the process—before seeking disastrous help at a local bar.
High-Velocity Chases and Choreographed Mayhem
Nick quickly rescues Troy from a trio of attackers, revealing formidable combat skills for a middle-aged man. The pair take to the lam, hotly pursued by a vicious Soviet agent portrayed by Marcin Dorocinski of Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One.
Collaborating directors Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley—previously responsible for Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and Game Night—stage inventive action set pieces. Highlights include a fiery mid-air ejection sequence and a climactic brawl aboard a plane with an open door. Along the way, the mayhem dips into physical comedy, including a foot chase through Budapest-doubled Red Square and a vehicular pursuit involving a nuclear missile launcher.
Talent and Execution in the Cold War Arena
The real engine of the film is the chemistry between its two leads. Kenneth Branagh delivers a deadpan comic performance, leaning into a cinematic lineage of playing Russian characters that includes Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit and Tenet. Ryan Reynolds deploys his trademark crack timing and wisecracking persona.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Release Date | Friday, September 4, 2026 |
| Platform | Apple TV |
| Cast | Ryan Reynolds, Kenneth Branagh, Marcin Dorocinski, Maria Bakalova, David Morse |
| Directors & Writers | John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein |
| Runtime & Rating | 1 hour 50 minutes, PG-13 |
The feature runs somewhat long and occasionally veers into broad farce during a break-in at a Soviet official’s home. A dramatic subplot involving Troy’s ailing father, played by David Morse, remains undercooked, while Maria Bakalova is given limited screen time as Nick’s estranged daughter.
Yet as a throwback entertainment vehicle, it delivers straightforward formulaic fun without requiring a rescue from its own premise. How do you think this streaming-first strategy suits star-driven comedies compared to traditional theatrical rollouts? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
