Ryan Reynolds’ ‘Rush Hour’ in Russia Is Officially Apple TV’s Newest Blockbuster
Apple TV has a new number-one film, with an action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh overtaking Brad Pitt's F1 at the top of the streamer's global viewership chart. The film, described as a Cold War-set "Rush Hour in Russia", has received strong reviews and looks set to dominate Apple TV's rankings for several weeks, continuing the platform's recent shift away from costly, director-led prestige projects towards more populist, broadly appealing entertainment.
The film pairs Reynolds as a downed American pilot with Branagh as an obsessive ex-KGB officer, and is directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, the duo behind Game Night and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, who are currently developing a new Star Trek film. It knocks F1 off the top spot after that Brad Pitt-led racing drama, which had a full theatrical release before streaming on Apple TV, grossed roughly $630 million worldwide.
- Reynolds and Branagh's new film tops Apple TV's viewership chart
- It overtakes Brad Pitt's F1, which made $630 million globally
- Directed by the Game Night and D&D team, now making Star Trek
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Apple TV is Apple's streaming service, which competes with the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime Video by offering both its own original films and shows and licensed content. Unlike Netflix, it also tracks a public-facing chart of its most-watched titles, and has recently leaned towards releasing crowd-pleasing action and comedy films rather than the smaller, awards-focused dramas it was previously known for backing.
The new film at the top of that chart is an action comedy starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh, set during the Cold War, in which Reynolds plays an American pilot who has been shot down and Branagh plays a former KGB officer pursuing him. It is directed by Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley, a filmmaking duo previously known for the comedy Game Night and the Dungeons & Dragons film adaptation.
The film has pushed F1, a racing drama starring Brad Pitt, out of the number-one spot. F1 had first been shown in cinemas worldwide, earning around $630 million at the box office, before becoming available on Apple TV.