At the 2026 San Diego Comic Con, WWE Legend and actor John Cena talked to The Knockturnal about Matchbox: The Movie, sharing why the project felt personal, what convinced him to join the cast, and how he continues to grow as an actor.
Cena said making the movie was a bit of a full circle moment because he grew up collecting Matchbox cars.
“My favorite Matchbox when I was a kid growing up was a 1970 Oldsmobile 442,” said Cena.
He laughed that his childhood obsession with the tiny cars eventually turned into a love of real automobiles, making the film an especially fun project for him.
When it came to signing on, Cena admitted he was curious about how a Matchbox movie would even work. Once he read the script, though, he was sold. He also pointed to the team behind the film as a major reason he wanted to be involved, praising Skydance, Mattel, and director Sam Hargrave for bringing the project together.
Cena also reflected on how much he has learned as an actor over the past several years. Rather than claiming to have everything figured out, he said he feels lucky to work alongside performers and filmmakers with more experience who constantly push him to improve. Every role has been a chance to learn something new, and he believes sharing the screen with talented people has helped shape him into a better actor.
“What I can say with confidence is that I continue to be put with professionals who have more wisdom than me, who are better than me at their craft,” said Cena. ” “And I think not being the smartest person in the room is a great place to be because you got to step your game up.”
With Matchbox: The Movie on the way to Apple TV+, Cena’s excitement for the project comes across naturally. Between his childhood memories of the toy cars and his appreciation for the creative team behind the film, it’s clear this was a project he genuinely wanted to be part of.
