John Cena gets behind the wheel of Sam Hargrave’s Matchbox movie based on Mattel’s legendary vehicle toy line

John Cena is going from Universal’s Fast & Furious franchise to Apple’s Matchbox, a live-action movie from Skydance and Mattel Films based on the iconic toy brand. While John Cena gets behind the wheel to lead the film, Extraction helmer Sam Hargrave sits shotgun to direct based on a screenplay by David Coggeshall and Jonathan Tropper.

Matchbox was invented in 1953 by automotive expert and enthusiast Jack Odell, who was asked to solve a problem for his daughter. She could bring any toy to school if it fit inside a matchbox. After showing off her father’s miniature invention to school, kids coveted the item and wanted one of their own. As the Matchbox die-cast vehicle toy line grew, Mattel began to diversify the makes and models of cars in the collection. Amazingly, analysts say a Matchbox car sells two cars every second somewhere around the globe.

Matchbox will be produced by Skydance’s David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger for Skydance, and Robbie Brenner for Mattel Films.

“For nearly 70 years, Matchbox has carried enormous cultural relevance and inspired generations of kids to unleash their imaginations, combining what they see in the world every day with what they dream their own world to be,” said Robbie Brenner, Executive Producer of Mattel Films in July 2022. “We look forward to working with our incredible partners at Skydance Media to craft a story for the big screen that evokes the same, imaginative spirit of this beloved Mattel franchise and delights fans of all ages.”

“We are thrilled to be working with Robbie Brenner and her amazing creative team at Mattel,” said Don Granger, President of Feature Films of Skydance, echoing Brenner’s enthusiasm. “Pairing Skydance’s unique brand of premium, elevated action-adventure entertainment with the incredible legacy of the Matchbox brand is a fantastic opportunity. There is a shared experience for everyone who has played with a Matchbox vehicle or playset, where they create their own inventive action sequence and we’re excited to craft a worldwide adventure film worthy of such imagination.”

Meanwhile, Peacemaker fans eagerly await news about the anti-hero’s sophomore season. Last month, John Cena said James Gunn intends to work on Peacemaker Season 2 after Superman is complete, with a 2025 release window targeted for the DC series.

Is John Cena a great fit to lead Mattel’s Matchbox movie? Do you have a favorite Matchbox vehicle? Let us know in the comments below.