AceShowbiz - John Cena has secured his latest action franchise role, starring in the Apple Original Film "Matchbox," which adapts Mattel's iconic toy brand. Sam Hargrave ("Extraction") will direct the feature film, with Skydance co-producing alongside Mattel. David Coggeshall ("The Family Plan") and Jonathan Tropper ("The Adam Project") have penned the screenplay.

"Matchbox" draws inspiration from Mattel's real-world toy vehicle line, which was created in 1953 by automotive enthusiast Jack Odell. Odell's daughter was limited to bringing toys to school that fit into a matchbox, leading to the concept of miniature die-cast cars.

The Matchbox brand has maintained high standards of authenticity for over 70 years, amassing generations of fans worldwide. Two Matchbox cars are sold every second somewhere around the globe.

Cena, known for his previous roles in the "Fast and Furious" franchise, will appear in the second season of the Max original series "Peacemaker" and will begin his farewell WWE tour in 2025. He is repped by WME, Intenta Media, and Johnson, Shapiro, Slewett & Kole.

Skydance's David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, and Robbie Brenner from Mattel Films will produce "Matchbox." This marks a continuation of the collaboration between Skydance and Apple, which has yielded titles such as "The Gorge" and "Fountain of Youth."

Apple Original Films and Skydance have previously worked with Coggeshall on the action-comedy "The Family Plan" starring Mark Wahlberg.