Danai Gurira onboard John Cena's Matchbox

Best known for playing Okoye in Black Panther, actor Danai Gurira has joined the cast of Apple’s live-action film Matchbox, which also stars John Cena and Jessica Biel. The project comes from Skydance and Mattel Films, marking the latest collaboration between the two companies.

Directed by Sam Hargrave (Extraction), Matchbox is inspired by Mattel’s iconic die-cast toy vehicle line. The screenplay is penned by David Coggeshall and Jonathan Tropper. The film also stars Randeep Hooda, Teyonah Parris, and Sam Richardson, among others.

Matchbox follows a group of childhood friends who must work together to stop an impending worldwide disaster and rediscover their friendship along the way. The film, the filming for which is currently underway in Budapest, is produced by Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger, alongside Robbie Brenner for Mattel Films and Jules Daly.

Danai Gurira recently appeared in AMC’s limited series The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, where she returned as Michonne. In addition to acting, Gurira took on roles behind the scenes as both a writer and executive producer. A Tony Award-nominated playwright, she also holds the distinction of being the first African female writer to have a play staged on Broadway.