John Cena Explains How the Matchbox Movie Will be Different Than Netflix's Global Hit Action Series
30The success of Barbie in 2023 sent a ripple throughout Hollywood that resulted in some interesting choices regarding future projects based on established IPs. Although the Matchbox movie was announced in 2022 before Barbie’s release, the film’s success likely put Matchbox on the fast track after seeing the potential for box office returns. Matchbox recruited WWE legend John Cena to star in the lead role, with Sam Hargrave hopping into the director’s chair. Hargrave is a veteran stunt coordinator who also directed both of Chris Hemsworth’s Extraction movies. Collider’s Steve Weintraub recently sat down for an interview with John Cena to talk about his new Prime Video movie, Heads of State (Idris Elba), and he asked if there was anything he could say about the film, and he teased how it differs from his previous work on Extraction:
"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 the first time Cena has worked with Hargrave, who has been working as a stunt coordinator and fight choreographer for years with major franchises like Marvel, The Hunger Games, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Cena wrapped things up by praising his Matchbox director, mentioning how he not only enjoyed working with him but that he’s gained a lifelong friend. Cena even expressed hope that he has the “luxury” of working with Hargrave again on a future project:
"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."
We know that a third Extraction movie is in active development at Netflix thanks to an exclusive report from Collider last year, but the movie has not yet begun production, which could leave the door open for a potential role from Cena. Chris Hemsworth and John Cena are two of the biggest action stars on the planet, and putting the two together in the same movie would be a perfect way to up the ante for the third installment of the Russo Bros-produced action franchise.
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