Matchbox Movie Trailer: John Cena Leads Action Film Coming to Apple TV October 9

Trailer reveal at Comic-Con

On July 25, 2026, during San Diego Comic-Con's Hall H, Apple TV and Mattel showed the first trailer for Matchbox: The Movie. The action film draws on the die-cast toy cars first released in 1953. John Cena plays undercover CIA agent Sean Walker, who reunites with childhood friends at a bar before they are drugged and kidnapped. Cena's character warns them, "Everybody listen, we're all gonna wake up someplace different." The group awakens aboard a cargo jet, where a thuggish interrogator demands, "Where is the nuclear warhead, Walker?" The film premieres October 9 on Apple TV.

Plot and characters

The official logline describes "a group of childhood friends who must work together to stop an impending worldwide disaster and rediscover their friendship along the way." Sean Walker is an ex-soldier and automobile expert who returns home after a mission, only for a night out to turn into a frame-up. Walker and his friends, played by Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Parris, Arturo Castro, and Randeep Hooda, must clear their names while crisscrossing the globe. The cast also includes Corey Stoll, Golshifteh Farahani, Danai Gurira, and Bill Camp.

Behind the camera

Sam Hargrave, director of the Extraction films, helms the movie from a script by David Coggeshall, whose credits include The Family Plan and Orphan: First Kill. The film is produced by Skydance's David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger alongside Robbie Brenner, Ynon Kreiz, and Jules Daly. Executive producers include Hargrave, Patrick Newall, and Elizabeth Bassin.

Mattel's expanding film slate

Matchbox follows Barbie as the latest Mattel brand to reach screens, and the company has more projects in development: Hot Wheels, American Girl, Barney, Polly Pocket, Thomas and Friends, and Uno.

For nearly 70 years, Matchbox has carried enormous cultural relevance and inspired generations of kids to unleash their imaginations, combining what they see in the world every day with what they dream their own world to be. We look forward to working with our incredible partners at Skydance Media to craft a story for the big screen that evokes the same, imaginative spirit of this beloved Mattel franchise and delights fans of all ages.