Maximum Effort Productions, Inc.[2] is an Americanfilm production company and digitalmarketing agency founded by Canadian actorRyan Reynolds alongside George Dewey in 2018. The company's name is a reference to a catchphrase from Reynolds' 2016 filmDeadpool.[1] In 2025, the company was named one ofTime's 100 most influential companies.[3]
Reynolds and Dewey launched Maximum Effort in 2018, after having collaborated on the marketing campaign forthe first twoDeadpool films.[4][5] They worked on a series of successful low-budget ads to promote the 2016 film and its 2018 sequel, which at the time were the highest-grossing R-rated films ever.[1] Dewey, formerly senior vice president ofdigital marketing at20th Century Fox and president of digital marketing atAnnapurna Pictures, was named president of the company,[6] and Reynolds is creative director.[7]
Maximum Effort's marketing arm was acquired by advertising software companyMNTN in June 2021, with Maximum Effort Marketing keeping its name while operating as an agency within MNTN. Reynolds was named MNTN's chief creative officer, and Dewey MNTN's chief brand officer.[8][9] MNTN was founded in 2009 as Steelhouse, rebranding itself in 2021.[10] In September 2024,Bloomberg News reported that MNTN was planning togo public in 2025, withMorgan Stanley to organize itsinitial public offering;[11] however, in MNTN's IPO filing (i.e. Form S-1) with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which was filed February 28, 2025, MNTN disclosed that it has agreed to divest "its interest in Maximum Effort to an affiliate of its original owner" and in connection with the transaction, MNTN provided a line of credit of up to $5.0 million, which was drawn upon.[12][13] The sale closed on April 1, 2025.[12] The filing also notes that MNTN will enter into a creative services agreement with Maximum Effort; however, as of May 14, 2025, no agreement has been reached.[12]
Maximum Effort Productions projects include the musicalSpirited, directed bySean Anders and starring Reynolds andWill Ferrell.[17] The company also produces theFX docuseriesWelcome to Wrexham.[18] In May 2021, Maximum Effort Productions closed a three-yearfirst-look development deal withParamount Pictures for all their feature films.[5] In August 2022, it was announced Maximum Effort would launch afree ad-supported streaming TV channel, which launched in June 2023 onFuboTV and other platforms.[19][20] The first original program on the channel was entitledBedtime Stories with Ryan and premiered June 20, 2023.[21] In June 2023, it was announced that Maximum Effort had made a deal withWelsh language channelS4C to show six hours of Welsh language programming per week which Reynolds has referred to as "Welsh Wednesdays".[22] The channel shut down in January 2025.[23]
In February 2023, Maximum Effort announced the development of a 1.2 million-square-foot studio to be built in Markham, Ontario, Canada, just outside of Toronto.[24] In March 2025, the company signed a first-look deal with20th Television.[25]
Maximum Effort Marketing has created ads for Reynolds' brandsAviation Gin andMint Mobile,[7] films such asDeadpool 2[7] andFree Guy,[26] and forMatch.com,[27]R.M. Williams,[28] and theNAACP Legal Defense Fund.[1] One of the Aviation Gin spots went viral, as a spoof on aPeloton holiday commercial that had received significant backlash, with both ads starring the same actress, Monica Ruiz.[29][30] A spot for Mint Mobile featuredRick Moranis, in a rare public appearance for the actor,[29] and an advertising stunt for Aviation Gin and Laughing Man Coffee had a faux Twitter war between Reynolds andHugh Jackman.[7][30] A video forMatch.com went viral at the end of 2020, as it featured Satan dating the year 2020 and debuted a snippet ofTaylor Swift's "Love Story (Taylor's Version)".[31]
In December 2021, following the release of theSex and the City revival seriesAnd Just Like That..., and the death ofMr. Big on a Peloton bike, shares inPeloton fell. Maximum Effort quickly devised an advertisement for Peloton featuringChris Noth. Reynolds provided the voiceover promoting the health benefits that cycling can have, and noting that Chris Noth/Mr. Big was still alive.[32]
The company has gained recognition for its ability to produce ads quickly, an approach Reynolds calls "Fastvertising."[33] In 2025, Maximum Effort produced a "fastvertsing" response video starringGwyneth Paltrow for Astronomer after a viral scandal involving its CEO.[34]
