Apple Original Films has revealed the first trailer for Matchbox The Movie during Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con. The action adventure stars John Cena and will premiere worldwide on Apple TV+ on Friday, 9 October 2026.
Inspired by Mattel's famous Matchbox toy cars, the film follows a group of lifelong friends whose quiet lives are turned upside down. Their former leader, Sean, played by John Cena, returns to their small hometown after years away. Now working as an undercover CIA agent, Sean accidentally drags his old friends into a dangerous international mission. Together, they must race across the globe to stop a major threat and save the world.
The film is directed and executive produced by Extraction-fame Sam Hargrave, with a screenplay by David Coggeshall. It is produced by Skydance Media and Mattel Studios, with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Robbie Brenner, Ynon Kreiz and Jules Daly among the producers.
Matchbox The Movie is the latest entry in Mattel Studios' growing slate of films based on its iconic toy brands. The company expanded its Hollywood ambitions after the phenomenal global success of Barbie in 2023 (released alongside Oppenheimer). Since then, Mattel has continued to build a broad line-up of live-action and animated projects. Recent releases include Monster High: The Movie (2022) and the live-action Masters of the Universe (2026), starring Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam, also known as He-Man.
Mattel's ambitions extend far beyond these titles. The studio currently has more than 14 confirmed films in development based on its best-known toy lines. These include Barney, a surreal, A24-style reimagining starring and co-produced by Daniel Kaluuya; Polly Pocket, a family comedy written and directed by Lena Dunham and starring Lily Collins; Hot Wheels, an action film produced by J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot; and Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, a live-action sci-fi adventure starring Vin Diesel.
Other projects include Major Matt Mason, an astronaut-themed film starring Tom Hanks; an animated Bob the Builder featuring Anthony Ramos; Magic 8 Ball, described as a suspenseful horror-comedy; a hybrid live-action and animated Thomas & Friends directed by Marc Forster; and film adaptations of Uno and View-Master, both currently in early development.
With Matchbox The Movie, Mattel continues its push to transform some of the world's most recognisable toys into big-screen entertainment for a new generation of audiences.
