Matchbox: The Movie premieres in New York ahead of Apple TV launch

John Cena led the cast onto the red carpet in New York on October 5 for the premiere of Matchbox: The Movie.

The Apple Originals film held its New York premiere at the AMC Lincoln Square Theater in New York City, according to photos published by Deadline. The launch comes four days before the film arrives for viewers at home.

Cena stars alongside Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Arturo Castro and Teyonah Parris. Both Cena and Biel attended the New York event at AMC Lincoln Square on October 5, as listed by Times Argus.

The film was directed by Sam Hargrave and written by David Coggeshall. It is based on the Mattel toy brand, the maker of the small die-cast cars familiar to generations of children.

In the story, Cena plays Sean, an undercover CIA agent. That is the hook for an action-adventure built around a chase across the globe.

The wider ensemble includes Kristoffer Hivju, Randeep Hooda, Danai Gurira, Corey Stoll, Bill Camp and Golshifteh Farahani. The mix brings together stars known from television drama, Marvel stories and international cinema.

Matchbox: The Movie is set as an action-adventure with a runtime of 2 hours 6 minutes, according to its Apple TV listing. The listing rates it PG-13, which in the United States advises parental guidance for viewers under 13. It will stream on Apple TV.

The New York premiere followed a special screening organised by Apple Original Films at Toreo Parque Central in Mexico City. Cena, Biel, Richardson, Parris and Castro all attended that event, Apple said in a statement.

For fans, this means a short wait. Matchbox: The Movie premieres globally on Apple TV on Friday, October 9, 2026. No cinema run has been announced. The streaming release is the main opening.