John Cena Stars in Apple TV's 'Matchbox' Trailer
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- Apple Original Films released the first trailer for 'Matchbox,' adapting Mattel's nearly 70-year-old die-cast toy car line into a feature film, with Variety first reporting the project back in 2022.
- John Cena stars as Sean Walker, described as 'a super agent and automobile expert,' whose group of childhood friends wakes up captured on a cargo jet and is interrogated about a missing nuclear warhead.
- Sam Hargrave directs from a script by David Coggeshall ('The Family Plan,' 'Orphan: First Kill'), with producers David Ellison and Dana Goldberg of Skydance alongside Mattel Films' Don Granger and Robbie Brenner.
- The cast rounds out with Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Parris, and Bollywood star Randeep Hooda, per the official announcement.
- The official logline frames the plot as childhood friends who 'must work together to stop an impending worldwide disaster and rediscover their friendship along the way.'
- Mattel Films continues its toy-to-screen pipeline following 'Barbie,' with Hot Wheels, American Girl, Barney, Polly Pocket, Thomas and Friends, and Uno also in various stages of development.
- 'Matchbox' arrives on Apple TV+ on Oct. 9, marking another high-profile action title for the streamer's original film slate.
Why it matters: Mattel's Hollywood push now extends well past the 'Barbie' windfall into a toy-to-screen pipeline that includes Matchbox plus at least six other brands — Hot Wheels, American Girl, Barney, Polly Pocket, Thomas and Friends, and Uno — diversifying the toymaker's film revenue bets. For Apple TV+, a Cena-led action tentpole arriving Oct. 9 adds another marquee property to a film slate that has so far leaned heavily on star-driven projects.
