Mayday (2026) stars Ryan Reynolds as Lt. Troy "Assassin" Kelly and Kenneth Branagh as former KGB agent Nikolai Ustinov. Maria Bakalova, Marcin Dorociński and David Morse complete the central cast as Anna Ustinov, Alexander Volkov and Harold Kelly. It is an action buddy-comedy, a story built around mismatched partners forced to cooperate under pressure.
According to Apple TV Press, the film premiered globally on Apple TV on September 4, 2026 as an Apple Original Apple's first-look announcement. Troy is a U.S. Navy pilot stranded behind enemy lines during the Cold War after a secret mission fails. Nikolai finds him and becomes his unlikely ally for survival.
Table of Contents
- The Two Men at the Center
- The Family Ties That Drive Them
- The Officer Hunting Them
- Who Made the Film?
- Where to Watch
The Two Men at the Center
Apple TV's trailer FAQs identify Reynolds as Troy, a pilot whose call sign signals skill and risk. Troy must evade capture with little support after his mission collapses. His choices drive the chase and the comedy.
High On Films describes Branagh as Nikolai, a former KGB agent living outside the system High On Films cast guide. Nikolai knows local terrain, Soviet methods and survival tactics. He gives Troy a practical path home and a reason to trust an old adversary.
The Family Ties That Drive Them
Maria Bakalova plays Anna Ustinov, Nikolai's daughter. Their estranged relationship explains why Nikolai left the KGB. It also gives his decision to help Troy personal weight.
David Morse plays Harold Kelly, Troy's father. Harold is proud of his son but terminally ill. That bond grounds Troy's motivation and keeps the family story present during the mission.
The Officer Hunting Them
Marcin Dorociński plays Alexander Volkov, the Soviet officer pursuing Troy and Nikolai. Volkov shows no sympathy for glasnost. He treats the Cold War thaw as weakness, not reform.
That stance makes him a direct contrast to Nikolai. Nikolai left intelligence work and chose family and survival. Volkov stayed loyal to pursuit and control, so compromise never slows him.
Who Made the Film?
According to TV Guide, Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley co-wrote and co-directed Mayday TV Guide streaming guide. They are known for Game Night and Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. That background fits the mix of action, banter and ensemble timing.
Their approach keeps the leads paired rather than split. Troy supplies American pilot energy and quick talk. Nikolai supplies dry experience, local knowledge and cautious planning.
Where to Watch
Apple lists Mayday as premiering and streaming exclusively on Apple TV. Viewers need an Apple TV subscription to watch it. Apple's official listing centers on Reynolds, Branagh, Dorociński, Bakalova and Morse, while secondary guides add fuller character backstories.