Apple's Rival To Fast & Furious Officially Releases In 2 Weeks, & It Steals A Franchise Star

Published Sep 25, 2026, 3:01 PM EDT Cooper Hood is the Associate Editor for all new movie releases, in theaters and on streaming. In addition to writing articles about these titles and upcoming releases, he also oversees content planning for each, ensuring that ScreenRant continues to cover major releases for months after their release. He has written various reviews for ScreenRant that appear on Rotten Tomatoes, coordinated Oscars and San Diego Comic-Con coverage, appeared on CNN to talk about Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, and done select interviews with talent over the years. The Fast & Furious franchise has inspired many copycats over the years, and Apple is about to take its turn at replacing the racing action series. Universal's Fast & Furious movies are nearing their conclusion, with 2028's Fast Forever planned as the end of a 27-year run that brought in over $7 billion at the box office. Other studios and stars have tried and failed to replicate Fast & Furious' success throughout this time. The misses include everything from an adaptation of the video game franchise Need for Speed starring Aaron Paul to future Fast & Furious cast member Scott Eastwood making Overdrive in 2017. Yet, attempts to find another car-driven action franchise continue in Hollywood. Tom Cruise is going back to Days of Thunder for a 2028 sequel. Wicked's Jon M. Chu is attached to direct a Hot Wheels movie for Warner Bros. Beating both of those films to release is Apple's hopeful Fast & Furious rival starring John Cena. Cena was part of the Fast & Furious franchise for F9 and Fast X before his character was killed. His days of getting behind the wheel for a big-budget movie will continue with Matchbox: The Movie, Apple's attempt to turn Mattel's car toy line into a new high-octane film franchise. John Cena's Matchbox: The Movie Releases On Apple TV In 2 Weeks Apple TV has delivered some big movies over the years, including Ryan Reynolds' Mayday just this month. But when October rolls around, Apple's subscribers will be treated to Matchbox: The Movie. The movie officially comes to the streaming service on October 9, 2026, following Apple's decision to bypass a theatrical release. Cena leads the way as Sean Walker, a spy who is reunited with his friends, all of whom shared a love for Matchbox cars as kids. Sean and his friends are then kidnapped by people attempting to find a nuclear weapon. When Sean and his friends become top suspects in the theft of the bomb, they set out to actually steal it to prove their innocence. Matchbox: The Movie's cast includes Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Teyonah Parris, Arturo Castro, Danai Gurira, Corey Stoll, and others. The action movie is directed by Sam Hargrave, who previously helmed both Extraction movies for Netflix. Matchbox's trailer has promised plenty of car-based stunts, a close-knit "family" unit, and a heist plot for anyone needing a Fast & Furious-like fix. Matchbox: The Movie Could Give John Cena His Own Fast & Furious Franchise As the release nears, Matchbox: The Movie is not confirmed to be a franchise starter. There is no sequel already in development at Apple Studios. However, that is certainly the ambition for Apple, Mattel, Cena, and Hargrave with this project. Mattel is looking to turn several of its biggest toys into globally recognized movie franchises, just as they did in 2023 with Barbie. Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie's doll-based film became a $1.4 billion sensation, with Warner Bros. still working through deals to make Barbie 2 happen. Matchbox is another potential franchise starter. The difference here, though, is that Matchbox: The Movie won't be able to rely on the box office to justify launching a franchise. Apple will have to see incredible viewership figures to conclude that audiences want to see more of this story unfold. That's not an unrealistic outcome. Cena is a popular actor, and someone audiences typically enjoy watching. Hargrave has experience delivering pulsating action movies that keep viewers engaged at home, too. After all, Matchbox isn't limiting itself to just cars, as there are motorcycles, helicopters, and more vehicles across different terrain and locations to help separate this from Fast & Furious. Perhaps if Matchbox: The Movie is popular enough and launches a franchise, the sequel will get a theatrical release. Apple could even look at expanding this universe on streaming by making TV shows starring some of the central cast members if they want to shift the franchise's direction. Release Date October 9, 2026 Runtime 127 minutes Director Sam Hargrave Writers David Coggeshall Producers Dana Goldberg, David Ellison, Don Granger, Jules Daly, Robbie Brenner, Ynon Kreiz