Despite being unperceivable to the human eye, John Cena can’t escape starring in major movie franchises, this time for a classic toy line getting an unusual live-action adaptation. Mattel, who is currently combing through their extensive list of IPs for movie projects after Barbie broke records, is setting up a film based on the Matchbox miniature toy car set. Cena will have a leading role in it, which is set to be directed by one of the best modern action filmmakers working today.
Mattel has announced (via The Hollywood Reporter) that John Cena is attached to star in their Matchbox film, based on the iconic toy line of the same name. Apple Original Films acquired the big-budget project, set to be helmed by Sam Hargrave, who directed Netflix’s action-packed Extraction films starring Chris Hemsworth. Matchbox is written by screenwriter Jonathan Tropper, who is currently set to write Shawn Levy’s upcoming Star Wars project after collaborating on Netflix’s The Adam Project. Plot details are scarce, but Mattel released a statement regarding the origins of the Matchbox brand, which presumably may influence the film’s premise:
“The legendary Matchbox brand was invented in 1953 by automotive expert and enthusiast Jack Odell to solve a challenge for his daughter, who was allowed to take a toy to school only if it was small enough to fit in a matchbox. When his daughter’s school friends began clamouring for a ‘matchbox car,’an iconic brand was born. The high standards of authenticity for Matchbox die-cast cars have driven the brand for nearly 70 years. One Matchbox car is sold every second.”
A Match Made in Toy Heaven
While a Hot Wheels movie is still in development (described as “grounded and gritty”), Matchbox is Mattel’s latest and most concrete attempt at a toy car-based project. Apple Original Films acquiring the title is a great sign for those anticipating a Matchbox film (even if they weren’t beforehand). Moreover, John Cena is on a bit of a streaming roll, most recently starring opposite Awkwafina and Simu Liu in Amazon’s Jackpot!. He also appeared in FX’s The Bear, which streams on Hulu. In addition to Matchbox, Cena is set to reprise his role as Peacemaker in the second season of the Max series, which is now set in James Gunn’s brand new DCU.
At first glance, it certainly seems as if Mattel is simply throwing around ideas and movie projects until one eventually sticks. After the immense financial and critical success of Barbie, they believe it’s a no-brainer to dig even further into their toy box. And while it all certainly seems like a cash-grab, attaching all-star talent in front of and behind the camera is a good start. San Hargrave is a hard-hitting action director who is legitimately pushing the medium forward with Extraction and its much-improved sequel. Meanwhile, Jonathan Tropper is a writer that always injects heart into his stories, no matter how big or small they are. Matchbox will probably be the biggest project for the filmmakers thus far, a risky but potentially rewarding continuation of Mattel’s attempts to get their toy movies made.
Matchbox
does not have a release date yet.
