Mayday

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2:36

Mayday

PG-13

2026

1h 50m

Action

Adventure

Comedy

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Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

82%

Tomatometer

102 Reviews

67%

Popcornmeter

500+ 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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Susan Granger

SSG Syndicate

2 days ago

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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Pedro Gallego

Espinof

2 days ago

2.5/5

Reynolds’s reluctance to try anything outside his comfort zone...ends up throwing Mayday’s center of gravity too far off balance. As a result, what remains is a movie with flashes of entertainment but one that is deeply flawed. [Full review in Spanish]

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Frank Wilkins

Reel Reviews

2 days ago

4/5

The filmmakers aren’t trying to reinvent the action comedy; they’re simply throwing two enormously charismatic actors into an increasingly absurd situation and letting them cook. And somehow, against all aerodynamic logic, the thing flies.

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Mark J

@RT73545468 8 hrs ago

Best movie I've seen in a long time. I was a bit worried as the first minute looked like a bad Hot Shots intro... but i was hooked after that. Superb writing, directing and acting. Hoping there's a sequel.

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Jamie G

@RT25357009 8 hrs ago

Enjoyable, Ryan being Ryan, Kenneth Branagh start of the show

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Bertie H

@Bertie522 9 hrs ago

I liked the movie, it was really enjoyable. My gripe is the background music. Not Kenny Loggins, that is solid. During the fight scenes the background music just sounded like high pitched squealing noises that made me feel almost queasy. I've never had that happen while watching a movie.

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Gino M

@RT42434010 9 hrs ago

Definitely good movie

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Harriet T

@RT53571345 12 hrs ago

A very underrated movie for me this is the best film i have seen in 2026. kenneth Branagh is amazing and ryan reynolds deserves more credit. Very enjoyable movie

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John T

@DrJohnT 17 hrs ago

Entertaining, but unfulfilling. A few laughs don't make up for the poor, predictable plot line. Don't waste your time

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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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