Washington [US], September 18 : John Cena is poised to take the spotlight in 'Matchbox', a live-action film inspired by the classic Mattel car toy line.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the project has been secured by Apple Original Films and will be produced in collaboration with Skydance and Mattel Films.
Sam Hargrave, known for his work on the 'Extraction' series, will direct the film.
The screenplay for 'Matchbox' is penned by David Coggeshall, who previously wrote the action-comedy 'The Family Plan', along with Jonathan Tropper, the author behind the Ryan Reynolds film 'The Adam Project', according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Although plot details are currently under wraps, this film reportedly represents the first serious effort to develop a movie centred around the Matchbox brand, even as Hollywood has long pursued adaptations of Hot Wheels.
The Matchbox toy brand was first introduced in 1953 and acquired by Mattel in 1997.
The origin story of Matchbox is rooted in automotive enthusiast Jack Odell, who designed the first toy car for his daughter, allowing her to take it to school only if it could fit inside a matchbox. This practical necessity sparked a beloved toy line that would go on to compete with Mattel's own Hot Wheels.
Producing 'Matchbox' are David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, and Don Granger from Skydance, along with Robbie Brenner from Mattel Films, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
This collaboration continues a growing partnership between Skydance and Apple, with several other projects in the pipeline, including the adventure film 'The Gorge', starring Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy, and 'Fountain of Youth', featuring Natalie Portman and John Krasinski.
Recently, Cena starred alongside Awkwafina in Amazon's action-comedy 'Jackpot', and he is currently filming the second season of the Max original series 'Peacemaker', based on the DC Comics character.
Additionally, Cena is gearing up for his farewell WWE tour, scheduled for 2025.
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