John Cena and Jessica Biel head off on a global chase in the new Matchbox trailer

Apple TV unveiled the first trailer for Matchbox the Movie at San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday, confirming an October 9 global premiere and marking Jessica Biel‘s first film role in nine years alongside John Cena.

TL;DR

• Apple TV debuted the Matchbox the Movie trailer during its Comic-Con panel in Hall H on Saturday, 25 July 2026.
• The Mattel-inspired action film stars Cena as undercover CIA agent Sean, with Biel, Arturo Castro, Sam Richardson, Danai Gurira and Teyonah Parris rounding out the cast.
• It’s Biel’s first big-screen role since 2017’s Shock and Awe.
• Matchbox the Movie streams globally on Apple TV, including the UK, from October 9.

Apple TV and Mattel debuted the footage during the streamer’s Comic-Con panel, with director Sam Hargrave on hand alongside his cast, according to a report from Deadline. The panel doubled as Biel’s first Comic-Con appearance in years, and she used it to talk about stepping back in front of the camera after focusing on television projects like Candy.

What the trailer reveals

The film follows Sean (Cena), an undercover CIA operative who returns to his hometown and pulls his childhood friends into a globe-trotting mission after they’re mistaken for something far more dangerous than old pals catching up. The footage shows the group waking up on a cargo jet, tied up and interrogated over a missing nuclear warhead, according to a trailer breakdown from Variety.

Cena leads an ensemble that includes Biel, Arturo Castro, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Parris, Randeep Hooda, Danai Gurira, Corey Stoll, Bill Camp and Golshifteh Farahani. The screenplay comes from David Coggeshall, with Skydance Media and Mattel Studios producing.

Biel’s return to the big screen

Biel told People at the Comic-Con panel that the timing finally felt right after nearly a decade away from film work, according to a report from The Hollywood Reporter. She said having young children shaped her choice of projects and that the cast and the film’s nostalgia factor won her over.

Her last theatrical film was 2017’s Shock and Awe; since then she’s stayed on screen through television, including Candy and The Better Sister.

UK release and streaming details

Matchbox the Movie is set for a same-day global premiere on Apple TV, meaning UK viewers get the film on October 9 alongside US audiences. Apple TV’s standard UK subscription runs £9.99 a month, following last year’s price rise.

Stat	Value
Apple TV monthly cost (UK)	£9.99
Source: Apple UK

Background

Matchbox the Movie is part of Mattel’s wider push into film, following the success of 2023’s Barbie and sitting alongside other toy-inspired projects such as Danny McBride’s upcoming G.I. Joe film. It’s also Apple TV’s latest big swing at theatrical-adjacent tentpole content, arriving in the same year the streamer confirmed a fourth season of Ted Lasso.

Matchbox the Movie premieres globally on Apple TV on October 9.

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Reported from publicly available interviews and verified press sources. Last reviewed July 26, 2026.