On Tuesday, actor Ryan Reynolds announced that his recent direct-to-streaming release Mayday has become the biggest debut in the history of Apple TV's films. The actor thanked the audience for helping make the achievement possible as well as expressed his love and appreciation for his co-star Kenneth Branagh. The film stars Reynolds as a pilot for the US Navy who becomes stranded in the enemy's territory in the course of a secretive mission in the Cold War era. Forming an alliance with a former KGB agent (Branagh), who has a streak of eccentricity about him, is the the pilot's sole shot at surviving behind enemy lines.

Hailing from directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, Mayday also stars Maria Bakalova, Marcin Dorocinski, and David Morse. It is produced by David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger.

According to Deadline, the film as well as the presence of multiple wins at the Emmy Awards in the recent ceremony played a part in Apple TV achieving its highest viewership for a week in its history. Besides Mayday, titles such as Widow’s Bay, Pluribus, and Ted Lasso contributed to the viewership surge for the streaming service.

The action-comedy film marked the first collaboration between Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh. In a recent conversation with People, Reynolds revealed that he initially felt 'intimidated' to collaborate with Branagh, as the considers his co-star "a freaking genius," although the Deadpool star also relished the prospect of teaming up with the "truly gifted" actor and improving his craft.

Ryan Reynolds' upcoming films include Animal Friends, where he plays a voice role, and Eloise. According to reports, the actor also stars in Avengers: Doomsday as Wade Wilson, also known as Deadpool.