Apple Original Films has released the official trailer and key art for Mayday, an upcoming action-comedy starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh.
Directed, written and produced by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the film combines Cold War espionage with buddy-comedy elements. The story follows Lieutenant Troy “Assassin” Kelly (Reynolds), a talented U.S. Navy pilot whose classified mission inside Soviet territory goes disastrously wrong, leaving him trapped behind enemy lines.
After being discovered by Nikolai Ustinov (Branagh), a former KGB operative with an unexpected fascination for American culture, Troy prepares for the worst. Instead, the pair forms an unlikely partnership as they attempt to survive the dangers around them, with their uneasy alliance evolving into an unexpected friendship.
Speaking about the project, the co-directors said the film draws inspiration from classic buddy movies of the 1980s.
“The buddy films of the 1980s were a bizarre and enticing blend of humor, danger and genuine heart. ‘Mayday’ is our ode to this genre, with the unlikely pairing of Ryan Reynolds and Sir Kenneth Branagh in a Cold War adventure that explores what it means to be patriotic, but ultimately what it means to be human.”
Mayday is an Apple Original Film produced by Skydance Media. John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein serve as directors, writers and producers. The producing team also includes David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Ashley Fox and Johnny Pariseau.
Ryan Reynolds, George Dewey and John G. Scotti executive produce the feature.
Alongside Reynolds and Branagh, the cast includes Marcin Dorociński, Maria Bakalova and David Morse.
Mayday will premiere globally on Apple TV on September 4, 2026