John Cena to Star in Mattel and Apple's Matchbox Movie

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John Cena has signed on to star in Matchboxa live-action version of the classic Mattel toy line.

Apple Original Films has secured the powerful package of films from Skydance and Mattel Films. Sam Hargrave, the director behind the gritty film, is on board to direct the film.

The project is moving forward at full speed with a script by David Coggeshall, who wrote an action comedy The Family Plan for the streaming and technology giant, and Jonathan Tropper, the author and screenwriter who wrote the Ryan Reynolds action-adventure film The Adam Project.

Matchbox is a toy brand first created in 1953 and acquired by Mattel in 1997. Mattel competed with Matchbox in the die-cast car industry with its own line, Hot Wheels. According to lore, car enthusiast Jack Odell designed the first car for his daughter, who was only allowed to bring a toy to school if it was small enough to fit in a matchbox. When his daughter's school friends also began clamoring for a “matchbox car,” an iconic brand was born.

Plot details are being kept under wraps. While Hollywood has been trying to bring Hot Wheels to the big screen for years, this appears to be the first time Matchbox has been developed as a film.

Producers are David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger of Skydance, as well as Robbie Brenner for Mattel Films.

The project marks the latest collaboration between Skydance and Apple. There are more than a handful of Skydance-Apple productions in the works, including adventure films. The throatwith Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy, and Fountain of Youthan upcoming Guy Ritchie film starring Natalie Portman and John Krasinski.

Cena recently starred alongside Akwafina in Amazon's action comedy Prize money, and is currently filming the second season of the original series Max Peacemakerbased on DC heroes. He is also preparing to embark on his WWE farewell tour in 2025.

Cena is repped by WME, Intenta Media and Johnson, Shapiro.

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