John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein discuss the origins of Mayday, revealing that the Apple TV film began with the idea of making a funny version of Misery. The writers and directors explain how that premise evolved into a love letter to classic 1980s buddy movies, with influences including Midnight Run, while using the film’s Cold War setting to explore themes that continue to feel relevant today.
Daley and Goldstein also discuss pairing Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh as the film’s unlikely American and Russian leads. Because the two actors are so different, the filmmakers acknowledge that the casting was something of a gamble, but say they knew the pairing worked from their first day together when they saw “instant sparks” between Reynolds and Branagh. Their chemistry became central to the unexpected friendship at the heart of Mayday.
The filmmakers also share details about creating Mayday’s aerial sequences, including approximately a month of photography in the south of France ahead of principal photography and the use of a large Volume stage in Montreal for the film’s flying scenes. Written, directed and produced by Daley and Goldstein, Mayday stars Reynolds and Branagh in a Cold War buddy action comedy centered on an unlikely American-Russian alliance. The film is streaming on Apple TV.