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The post-Barbie wave of toy adaptations continues with Matchbox, a high-octane action thriller starring John Cena and directed by Sam Hargrave, best known for the Extraction films. While the project was first announced in 2022, Barbie’s blockbuster success likely accelerated development. With production now wrapped—including shooting locations in Hungary and Slovakia—Cena is opening up about what sets Matchbox apart.
In an interview with Collider, Cena shared that the film goes beyond the action spectacle expected from a director like Hargrave:
“The thing I love about Matchbox is Sam also gets to flex a little range. He gets to tell stories. I’m not saying Extraction didn’t have those, but he gets to lean into a lot of character arc. Everyone will be blown away by the action.”
This marks Cena’s first collaboration with Hargrave, whose background includes stunt coordination on major franchises like Marvel, The Hunger Games, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Cena made it clear that Hargrave left a lasting impression on him both personally and professionally:
“My biggest takeaway from that experience is I gained a friend and a ton of respect for a person in Sam Hargrave. He’s somebody that’s inspirational to me, somebody I admire. He asks your absolute best every single day, without fail, and I love that about a person who attacks and earns every day. I now know why his stuff looks the way it does, because he just refuses for it to fail. I can’t wait to work with him again. I really hope I have that luxury and I really hope people enjoy Matchbox. It is a kick-ass film, and I think he got to lean into his ability to show his depth, to tell a story, not just to perform crazy stunts.”
Alongside Cena, the ensemble cast includes Jessica Biel, Corey Stoll, Danai Gurira, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Parris, and Arturo Castro. The script was penned by David Coggeshall and Jonathan Tropper, with the latter also involved in scripting an upcoming Star Wars project.
While Matchbox does not yet have an official release date, post-production is well underway following shoots in Hungary and Slovakia—two increasingly popular destinations for major international film productions.
