Apple Original Films and Skydance are continuing to build on their partnership with another star-studded project. An action-adventure feature starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh, titled “Mayday”. “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” directors Johnathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley are set to write and direct the film. Skydance’s David Ellison, Reynolds under his Maximum Effort banner, Dana Goldberg, Goldstein and Daley are producing the movie. Apple studios will distribute.

In June 2023, Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) and Oscar winner Kenneth Branagh (Murder On The Orient Express) were announced in the lead roles. In April 2024, Maria Bakalova (Borat Part two, The Apprentice), Marcin Dorocinski, Lovell Adams-Gray and Clark Johnson were added to the cast.

Premise: The plot is kept under lock & key, but the film focuses on when Lieutenant Troy Brennan’s reconnaissance mission over Soviet territory goes awry, forcing him to crash-land and survive in Russian wilderness while evading capture or rescue.

Coming off of their action-adventure comedy “Dungeons”, Goldstein and Daley finished the script for ‘Mayday’ well before the WGA strikes started. The feature is based on an original pitch from Goldstein and Daley, who came to Skydance in early 2023, with the idea and had been developing prior to Apple’s involvement. Once Reynolds showed interest in April to join the pic, Mayday started gaining serious momentum.

Hailing from a first-look partnership between Apple and Skydance Media, Mayday is one of the star studded projects coming out of the deal. Previous films include Chris Evans-Ana de Armas action-comedy “Ghosted”, and Mark Wahlberg feature “The Family Plan”. They also have the upcoming genre-bender “The Gorge” starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller.

Johnathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley are also known for directing the acclaimed action-comedy “Game Night”, the underrated comedy “Vacation” and also penning “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and “Horrible Bosses I & II among other projects.

Principal photography began in Montreal, Canada on March 4, 2024, and wrapped on May 8, under the working title Blackbird.

Canadian-American DOP Barry Peterson is the cinematographer for the film. A regular collaborator of Goldstein and Daley who previously worked on “Game Night”, “Dungeons & Dragons” and “Vacation”.

‘Mayday’ By Johnathan Goldstein And John Francis Daley.

‘Faces Of Death’ By Daniel Goldhaber.

‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’ By Gore Verbinski.