Matchbox, a brand-new live-action picture from Skydance and Mattel Films starring John Cena and helmed by Sam Hargrave, has been acquired by Apple Original Films.
David Coggeshall and Jonathan Tropper will pen the screenplay for the film, which is based on Mattel’s renowned die-cast toy car line.
Jack Odell, an avid car fan, created the renowned Matchbox brand in 1953 as a way to get over his daughter’s restriction on what she could bring to school: toys could only be brought if they fit within a matchbox. A brand was created when his daughter’s classmates started begging for a “matchbox car.” Generations of fans and more than 70 years of brand loyalty have been fueled by the high standards of authenticity for Matchbox die-cast automobiles. Currently, two Matchbox vehicles are sold globally every second.
Robbie Brenner, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, and David Ellison of Skydance will produce Matchbox for Mattel Films.
With this initiative, Cena will be able to expand his repertoire of dancing moves even further. His most recent appearances were in the Peter Farrelly comedy Ricky Stanicky and the action comedy Jackpot from Amazon MGM Studios. In addition, he is scheduled to begin his WWE farewell tour in 2025 and return to the title role in the Max series Peacemaker.
WME, Intenta Media, and Johnson, Shapiro, Slewett & Kole represent Cena.