John Cena to star in Mattel's Matchbox movie

John Cena has been cast in 'Matchbox'.

The 47-year-old actor is set to star in the upcoming live-action movie for Skydance, Apple Original Films and Mattel Films which is inspired by the toy brand's iconic vehicle line.

The flick is due to be directed by 'Extraction' filmmaker Sam Hargrave, while David Coggeshall ('The Deliverance') and Jonathan Tropper ('The Adam Project') are writing the screenplay.

'Matchbox' will mark Mattel's third venture into Hollywood after the company released the Margot Robbie-starring 'Barbie' last year, with its next project - a live-action 'Masters of the Universe' blockbuster - set to hit cinemas in 2026.

The former WWE star was most recently seen in Amazon MGM Studios' 'Jackpot!' in which he starred opposite Awkwafina.

Despite enjoying his time making the film, the 'F9' actor admitted he had to take extra precautions for a scene with his co-star, and so wore a "prosthetic" nose for when Awkwafina punched him in the face.

He told The Hollywood Reporter: "I really think the setup for it was fun and when she actually did it and we did the gag, it looked great and it plays well in the movie."

The ex-wrestler advised the 'Shangi-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' actress to simply "swing for the fences", and revealed she did exactly that.

While finding some of the sequences in the movie difficult, Awkwafina emphasised she loved making the flick and was overjoyed to have had the opportunity to work with Cena.

She told Total Film magazine: "John was so funny on set. There were a couple of parts where John said some things where I completely lost it and then everyone lost it..."

The 'Crazy Rich Asians' star added she loved the 'Jackpot!' script, describing it as "unique".

She shared: "When I first read the script, I thought it was different than just the usual, run-of-the-mill, 24-hour action comedies. The movie is unique and there's real heart in it, too."