Ryan Reynolds' "classic" spy caper has broken a huge all-time record

Ryan Reynolds has had many hits in his career, ranging from Deadpool & Wolverine to The Hitman's Bodyguard. That trend has continued with his latest film, Mayday, which has set a record for Apple TV.

The '80s-set spy caper sees the actor portray Troy "Assassin" Kelly, a Lieutenant in the US Navy who crash-lands in Russia at the height of the Cold War. He then comes into contact with Nikolai Ustinov (Kenneth Branagh), a former KGB agent who can help him escape.

From writing-directing duo John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, the action-comedy was released on Apple TV last month, and it has proven to be incredibly popular with viewers if the numbers are anything to go by.

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In a post on Instagram, Reynolds confirmed that spy caper had the biggest debut for any film on the streamer, writing: "Thank you for making Mayday the biggest @AppleTV movie debut of all time. Sonnet 18 for everyone but especially the amazing Kenneth Branagh!"

Apple TV currently costs £9.99 per month, though you can get a seven-day free trial. Alternatively, the streamer comes in the Apple One bundle, which also includes Apple Music and extra iCloud storage for £18.95 per month.

In addition to its success with audiences, the action-comedy has been generally praised by critics, with Rotten Tomatoes currently reporting an impressive approval rating of 83% from 104 reviews.

"This is a classic buddy movie, the difference is they're being chased by the KGB. The buddy aspect between Branagh & Reynolds holds up well, the action is well-paced, and there are a few quiet moments, but they serve the overall story," noted KLRT-TV.

"It's a compliment to call Mayday a latter-day Top Gun riff, because it satisfyingly meets the needs of that film's core audience — delivering a buddy comedy, a road movie and an international adventure, with surprising heart," opined Variety.

The Globe and Mail was also full of praise, writing: "A rip-roaringly paced, imaginatively shot buddy comedy that feels inspired by just enough rewatches of Top Gun, Black Rain and Red Heat without feeling completely redundant."

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"No need to declare an emergency here — thanks to two compelling central performances from Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh, engaging aesthetics and well-choreographed fight scenes, Mayday makes for a solid comedy-action combo," wrote Empire Magazine.

While Mayday has been a huge success for Reynolds, he could be having even more attention later in the year, with the actor rumoured to be reprising his role as Deadpool in Avengers: Doomsday.

Mayday is streaming on Apple TV.

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Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media.  His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.