Matchbox – The Movie, directed by Sam Hargrave, will debut worldwide on Apple TV+ starting Friday, October 9, 2026. Inspired by Mattel's iconic die-cast cars, this action-adventure film features John Cena, Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Arturo Castro, and Teyonah Parris.
John Cena stars as Sean, a CIA operative going undercover who returns to his hometown after years away. There he reconnects with Aimee, Crosby, Ted, and Charmaine, his childhood friends. But what starts as a warm reunion soon spirals into a high-stakes chase as Sean unwittingly drags them into a dangerous international conspiracy.
The group is swept into an adventure spanning several countries, with covert operations, high-speed chases, and daring stunts. Rather than adapting a preexisting story or characters, the film uses the Matchbox car universe as the launching pad for an original espionage and action tale.
The project is being directed by Sam Hargrave, best known for the film Tyler Rake and for his work as a stuntman and stunt coordinator. The screenplay is by David Coggeshall, with Skydance Media and Mattel Studios on board to produce.
Alongside John Cena, Jessica Biel portrays Aimee, Sam Richardson plays Crosby, Arturo Castro stars as Ted, and Teyonah Parris brings Charmaine to life. Corey Stoll, Bill Camp, Golshifteh Farahani and Danai Gurira round out the cast.
Clocking in at about 2 hours and 6 minutes, Matchbox – The Movie joins the ranks of Mattel’s big‑license adaptations, but with a different approach: there’s no pre‑existing mythos to translate, only the iconic toy cars serving as the springboard for a spectacular, international action film.
To go further, also check out our pick of Apple TV+ October releases, our guide to streaming releases across all platforms, and today’s selection of what to watch on streaming.
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