Mayday

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2:36

Mayday

PG-13

2026

1h 50m

Action

Adventure

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

104 Reviews

67%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh team up in "Mayday," a genre-bending, action-packed buddy comedy that flips the spy thriller on its head. When hotshot U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Troy "Assassin" Kelly (Reynolds) is sent on a top-secret mission into Russian territory at the height of the Cold War, the operation implodes, leaving him stranded behind enemy lines. Discovered by Nikolai Ustinov (Branagh), a gruff ex-KGB agent with a penchant for American culture, Troy thinks he's toast -- but could an unlikely alliance between the two lead to Troy's rescue and a bond neither saw coming?

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Critics Consensus

A spirited adventure that gets a lot of mileage from clever quips and Kenneth Branagh's extremely amusing performance, Mayday thaws Cold War tensions with good-natured aplomb.

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Jared Richards

The Age (Australia)

Sep 9, 2026

3/5

Ryan Reynolds’ perma-Deadpool edge of slick sarcasm isn’t for me, but it’s put to great use in this Cold War buddy comedy from Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley (Dungeons and Dragons).

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Matt Goldberg

TheWrap

Sep 6, 2026

3/5

The new Daley & Goldstein isn’t the most narratively audacious movie, but it’s a strong reminder that even a streaming comedy can look as good as any blockbuster

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Todd Gilchrist

Variety

Sep 4, 2026

It’s a compliment to call "Mayday" a latter-day "Top Gun" riff, because it satisfyingly meets the needs of that film’s core audience — delivering a buddy comedy, a road movie and an international adventure, with surprising heart.

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Michael Cook

KLRT-TV

5 days ago

This is a classic buddy movie, the difference is they're being chased by the KGB. The buddy aspect between Branagh & Reynolds holds up well, the action is well-paced, and there are a few quiet moments, but they serve the overall story.

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Jinal Bhatt

Variety India

Sep 23, 2026

3.5/5

The match-step bromance between Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh, in a film that's written to let them play to their strengths, and the "Top Gun" nods and 80s nostalgia ultimately make this a fun flight worth taking.

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Susan Granger

SSG Syndicate

Sep 18, 2026

8/10

What makes it great fun is the charismatic chemistry between sarcastic, wise-cracking Reynolds and gruff, deadpan Branagh. Their mismatched odd-couple bickering masks an unlikely friendship.

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Terrie A

@terrielane 15 hrs ago

Slow but once it got going it got better.

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richard H

@hondo100 22 hrs ago

Very entertaining . Good cast and well acted

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Gregory D

@RT14042616 1 day ago

I thought it was quite entertaining. It showed human commonality and the plurality of world views.

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Andrew J

@jynx2706 2 days ago

Funny, creative, action-packed, and nostalgic... I liked this way more than I thought I would.

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Chase M

@reviewzz 2 days ago

Great movie all around! Very fun with a little bit of history in the mix. I had a good time watching this. I can’t believe people are nitpicking this movie.. get over yourself lol

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Howard S

@braundsmith 3 days ago

Hmmm no tension no build up, tyhe jokes dont land very boring maybe they needed a straight guy to Ryan jokes but so much wasnt believable from the initial helping the other plane with the stuck flap, to the spy plane but he is the co-pilot?!! Needed some serious work, unfortunately; it took 3 attempts to get through this. Such a shame, as I had it flagged as my Friday night movie to watch; one ruined weekend

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John Francis Daley

Director

Jonathan M. Goldstein

Director

Ryan Reynolds

Lieutenant Troy "Assassin" Kelly

Kenneth Branagh

Nikolai Ustinov

Marcin Dorociński

Actor

Maria Bakalova

Actor

Mayday: Exclusive Sneak Peek Clip - Tracking Evasion

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Mayday: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh team up in "Mayday," a genre-bending, action-packed buddy comedy that flips the spy thriller on its head. When hotshot U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Troy "Assassin" Kelly (Reynolds) is sent on a top-secret mission into Russian territory at the height of the Cold War, the operation implodes, leaving him stranded behind enemy lines. Discovered by Nikolai Ustinov (Branagh), a gruff ex-KGB agent with a penchant for American culture, Troy thinks he's toast -- but could an unlikely alliance between the two lead to Troy's rescue and a bond neither saw coming?

Director: John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein
Producer: David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Ashley Fox, Johnny Pariseau, Jonathan M. Goldstein, John Francis Daley
Screenwriter: John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein
Distributor: Apple TV
Production Co: Skydance Media, Apple Original Films, Maximum Effort
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 4, 2026
Runtime: 1h 50m

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