Mayday Tops Charts Earns Strong Reviews

Ryan Reynolds' new action-comedy "Mayday" has premiered on Apple TV, quickly climbing to the top of the streaming platform's charts in the United States and becoming a significant global hit. The film, which debuted on September 4, 2026, pairs Reynolds with Academy Award winner Kenneth Branagh in a Cold War-era adventure that blends espionage, comedy, and action. Directed and written by the duo John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, known for their work on "Game Night" and "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves," "Mayday" centers on U.S. Navy pilot Lieutenant Troy Assassin Kelly, portrayed by Reynolds. The plot kicks off when Kelly's jet is shot down during a covert mission over Soviet Russia, leaving him stranded deep within enemy territory. He forms an unlikely alliance with Nikolai Ustinov, a gruff former KGB agent played by Branagh, who is working as a carpenter and agrees to help the pilot escape. Early critical reception for "Mayday" has been largely positive. The film holds a Certified Fresh score of 84 out of 100 on Rotten Tomatoes, based on reviews from 51 critics. On Metacritic, it received a more mixed score of 59 out of 100.