Apple TV has dropped the trailer for Mayday, and this looks like exactly the kind of action comedy that knows how to have fun without forgetting the stakes. Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh teaming up in a Cold War buddy adventure already sounds ridiculous in the best way, but putting that pairing in the hands of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and Game Night filmmakers John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein makes this one feel especially promising.
Mayday is a Buddy Comedy With Spy Thriller Energy
Mayday follows Lieutenant Troy “Assassin” Kelly, a hotshot U.S. Navy pilot played by Reynolds, after a top-secret mission in Russian territory goes very wrong. Stranded behind enemy lines, Troy is discovered by Nikolai Ustinov, a gruff ex-KGB agent played by Branagh, who has a surprising love for American culture.
That setup gives the film a perfect odd-couple engine. Reynolds can play the loud, fast-talking pilot thrown completely out of his depth, while Branagh gets to bring dry authority and unexpected weirdness to the one person who might be able to save him. It is not just about escaping enemy territory. It is about watching two completely different men realize they may need each other more than either wants to admit.
Daley and Goldstein Know This Lane
Daley and Goldstein are a big reason this trailer lands. Their work on Game Night and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves showed how well they understand comedy built around character, timing, and danger.
Their quote makes the intent even clearer. They describe Mayday as an ode to the buddy films of the 1980s, mixing humor, danger, and genuine heart. They also point to the film’s bigger question about patriotism and humanity, which gives the chaos a little more weight than a standard spy romp.
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That matters because the best buddy action movies are not just joke machines. They work because the relationship shifts under pressure, and Mayday looks ready to throw Reynolds and Branagh into plenty of pressure.
Mayday Brings a Strong Cast and Serious Action Comedy Pedigree
The cast around Reynolds and Branagh is also stacked. Mayday features Marcin Dorocinski, Maria Bakalova, and David Morse, giving the movie a strong mix of comedy, intensity, and character actor firepower.
The film comes from Apple Original Films and Skydance Media, with Maximum Effort also producing. David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger produce for Skydance, alongside Ashley Fox and Johnny Pariseau for Maximum Effort. Reynolds and George Dewey executive produce through Maximum Effort, with John G. Scotti also executive producing.
That creative lineup points to something bigger than a disposable streaming comedy. This feels like Apple TV aiming for a polished, star-driven action movie with a real theatrical-style hook.
Apple TV Has a Fun One on Deck
The trailer sells Mayday as a throwback with modern speed. It has Cold War danger, buddy comedy tension, a wild central pairing, and the kind of premise that lets Reynolds and Branagh bounce off each other in ways audiences probably did not know they needed.
Mayday premieres on Apple TV on September 4, 2026. With Daley and Goldstein behind the camera and Reynolds and Branagh leading the mission, this could be one of Apple’s most purely entertaining films of the year.
Are you ready to see Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh team up in Mayday? Does this look like the kind of buddy action comedy we need more of? Which part has you most interested, the Cold War setup, the cast, or the Daley and Goldstein comedy touch? Share your thoughts in the comments or @me.
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