MONTREAL — Mayday, an action-comedy film starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh, began streaming on Apple TV+ in September 2026. The release followed a premiere in New York City at the AMC Lincoln Square on September 1, 2026.

Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley wrote and directed the production, which is set in 1987 during the Cold War. Reynolds plays Troy Kelly, a U.S. Navy pilot who crash lands behind enemy lines in Soviet Russia. Branagh portrays Nikolai Ustinov, also known as Nick, a Russian carpenter and former KGB agent who idolizes American capitalism.

Nikolai's favorite movie is Top Gun. Troy agrees to help Nikolai gain legal passage to the U.S. in exchange for help escaping Russia. Maria Bakalova plays Anna, Nikolai's estranged daughter.

Marcin Dorociński plays Alexander Volkov, a KGB agent. David Morse plays Harold, Troy's father.

Mayday was primarily filmed in Montreal, Canada. Some sequences of Mayday were filmed in Budapest, Hungary. A replica of the San Diego Gaslamp Quarter was built in Montreal for filming.

Exterior scenes of the Russian wilderness were shot in Canada. Interior scenes, including Nick’s cabin and Anna’s apartment, were filmed on sound stages.

The climactic action sequence involving a tank carrying a nuclear bomb was shot in Heroes’ Square in Budapest. Heroes’ Square was transformed into Moscow’s Red Square for the film. The Red Square sequence involved over one thousand extras.

Filming took place in Dunaujvaros, Hungary, on Vasmű Road and the Lower Danube promenade. Filming took place in Salgotarjan, Hungary, around Rakoczi Road, Pecskő Road, Marcius 15 Street, Erzsebet Square, and Fő Square.

Aerial background footage was shot in southern France. The production crew built a simulated FA/18 plane and a simulated Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. Executive producer John G. Scott stated that the production obtained an actual SR-71 canopy and nosecone. Production designer Nora Takacs Ekberg stated that the crew scouted close to 500 locations and selected 10.

VFX supervisor James E. Price addressed the technical constraints of the aerial sequences. "We couldn’t have the actors actually flying jets, but the next best thing was having real backgrounds and real lighting," Price said. Cinematographer Barry Peterson described the intensity of the shoot.

"It was absolutely insane for the actors and everybody involved," Peterson said. Production designer Nora Takacs Ekberg noted the challenges of accessing certain military assets. "The military is still quite secretive about it," Ekberg said.

What's New

Additional reporting confirmed that Mayday premiered in New York City at the AMC Lincoln Square on September 1, 2026. The film F1, starring Brad Pitt, grossed approximately $630 million worldwide and was the number-one movie on Apple TV's global viewership chart until it was overtaken by Mayday.

Ryan Reynolds stated, "Kenneth has not only brought me the same kinda joy day in and day out, but he’s kind of a teacher, you know, to work with somebody like that and just learn from them every single moment — it grounds you in this idea like, ‘Wow, I am really lucky to do this job.'" Kenneth Branagh stated, "I think people like to see stories where individuals can overcome their own fears." David Morse plays Harold, Troy's father.

Why It Matters

Mayday began streaming on Apple TV+ in September 2026, marking a significant entry in the platform's film lineup. The movie displaced F1, which had held the top spot on Apple TV's global viewership chart after grossing approximately $630 million worldwide.

The production utilized extensive location shooting across North America and Europe to create its Cold War setting. By transforming Heroes’ Square in Budapest into Moscow’s Red Square and building replicas in Montreal, the filmmakers employed practical sets alongside visual effects to depict 1987 Soviet Russia.