Mattel’s iconic toy car makes its on-screen debut in Apple Original Film’s Matchbox, with the first release of an action-packed trailer starring John Cena.
Directed by Sam Hargrave, the film is based on the famous die-cast toy vehicle series. According to the official logline, Matchbox follows “a group of childhood friends who must work together to prevent an impending global disaster and rediscover their friendship in the process.”
Cena will star as super agent and automotive expert Sean Walker. The trailer shows Sean socializing with some old friends at a bar when they suddenly start to get carried away. Sean warns his friends. “Listen everyone, we all wake up in different places.” The group then finds themselves trapped in a cargo jet. With his hands tied on the roof, Sean is interrogated by thugs who ask him, “Where’s the nuclear warhead, Walker?”
Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Parris and Bollywood star Randeep Hooda are also set to star. David Coggeshall (Family Plan, Orphan: First Kill) wrote the screenplay.
Variety first reported that a movie inspired by the iconic toy car is in the works for 2022.
“For nearly 70 years, Matchbox has conveyed tremendous cultural relevance, inspiring generations of children to unleash their imaginations and combine what they see in the world every day with what they dream their world could be,” Mattel Pictures executive producer Robbie Brenner previously said in a statement. “We look forward to working with our great partners at Skydance Media to create stories for the big screen that evoke the same imaginative spirit of this beloved Mattel series and delight fans of all ages.”
‘Matchbox’ joins ‘Barbie’ as the latest Mattel brand to get the big screen treatment, but it probably won’t last long. Projects currently in development are based on Mattel brands such as Hot Wheels, American Girl, Barney, Polly Pocket, Thomas and Friends, and Uno.
The film will be produced by David Ellison and Dana Goldberg of Skydance, and Don Granger and Robbie Brenner of Mattel Pictures.
“Matchbox” comes to Apple TV on October 9th. Check out the trailer below.
