Apple TV+ has unveiled first look images from John Cena's upcoming Matchbox the Movie from Mattel Studios, inspired by Mattel’s iconic die-cast toy vehicle line. Also starring Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Parris and Arturo Castro in lead roles, the upcoming film will land on the streamer on October 9.
Directed by Sam Hargrave, Matchbox the Movie has a screenplay penned by David Coggeshall and Jonathan Tropper. According to the makers, the film follows a group of childhood friends who must work together to stop an impending worldwide disaster and rediscover their friendship along the way. Cena plays an undercover CIA agent Sean, their leader, who gets his friends entangled in the international pursuit to save the world.
Corey Stoll, Bill Camp, Danai Gurira and Golshifteh Faranhani among others are also part of the cast. It is backed by Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger, alongside Robbie Brenner and Ynon Kreiz for Mattel Films and Jules Daly. Hargrave, Patrick Newall and Elizabeth Bassin are executive producers.
The Matchbox story began in 1953 when automotive enthusiast Jack Odell created a toy small enough to fit in a matchbox for his daughter, who could only bring compact toys to school. This simple innovation sparked a global phenomenon, with Matchbox setting high standards of authenticity for toy vehicles. Today, two Matchbox cars are sold every second worldwide, a testament to the brand’s timeless appeal.
