5 Movies To Watch If You Like Matchbox

Following the massive success of "Barbie," Looper made a list of predictions of what toy-centric movies we wanted to see next. And on that list was none other than Matchbox, which has finally come to fruition. 

Apple TV released "Matchbox: The Movie" on October 9. It may be surprising that Matchbox got a movie out before J.J. Abrams' proposed "gritty" Hot Wheels movie, but when it comes to major motion pictures, it's not about who has the bigger name. It's about who can get out of the gate fastest, and that's precisely what Matchbox did. Now, folks can watch an old group of friends, led by former soldier Sean Walker (John Cena), on a international quest to retrieve a nuclear weapon before the wrong hands can use it. Oh yeah, and there's a lot of driving in the mix.

"Matchbox: The Movie" wears its influences on its sleeves, so there's no shortage of movies like this to view when you're done seeing Cena flex his muscles for two hours. From heavy-hitting action to hilarious comedies, you'll want to put these movies on your watchlist next if you enjoyed "Matchbox."

A group of friends — that one might consider a "family" — who head out on a high-stakes, globe-trotting adventure? We could be talking about "Matchbox: The Movie," but we could also be describing one of the many "Fast and Furious" films. While there are many movies in that franchise you can enjoy, our choice for this list is 2011's "Fast Five," since it seems to share the most DNA with "Matchbox."

Fans generally agree that "Fast Five" is when the series veered off course. The franchise went from low-level street crime to international adventures, with the characters basically becoming these immortal superheroes over the course of the following films who could do anything and everything with a car. In this installment, Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Brian O'Connor (Paul Walker) plot to steal $100 million from a corrupt businessman, all while avoiding capture from their newest adversary, Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson).

Both "Fast Five" and "Matchbox" have plenty of flashy cars and gorgeous locales. But maybe the strongest connective tissue between the two is how they each focus on a tight-knit group of friends who would do anything for each other. It's a dynamic "Matchbox" star John Cena is used to, seeing as how he joined the "Fast and Furious" franchise himself in "F9."

"The Fall Guy" follows much of the same template as "Matchbox: The Movie," and not just because both are fun action comedies. "The Fall Guy" sees stuntman Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling) framed for the death of another stunt driver and setting out to clear his name. There's a nice meta layer on top of the film, as it's a movie about making movies and how stunt performers are often the reason why so many films of this kind are as enjoyable as they are.

"Matchbox" also sees John Cena's character trying to clear his name, as he's framed for the theft of a nuclear device. But in both of these cases, the plots are almost secondary to amazing practical effects and stunts. 2024's "The Fall Guy" was directed by David Leitch, who began his Hollywood career as a stunt performer and went on to prioritize as much practicality as possible while directing films like "John Wick" and "Atomic Blonde." The director of "Matchbox," Sam Hargrave, had a similar trajectory, beginning his career as Jensen Ackles' stunt double on "Supernatural."

But that's not the end of their similarities. Both films lean into cheesy action-adventure vibes, which is to be expected since they both pull from more retro sensibilities. "Matchbox" is, of course, based on the popular toy car line that's been around since the 1950s, while "The Fall Guy" is an adaptation of a 1980s TV show. "The Fall Guy" may have bombed at the box office, but if you enjoy the silly action of "Matchbox," it's worth another look. 

There are many movies like "Matchbox" where there's an emphasis on cool-looking cars and slick driving sequences. They all tend to have the same vibe, but if you're looking for something a bit off the beaten path, then 2017's "Baby Driver" is the way to go.

A tinnitus-afflicted getaway driver named Baby (Ansel Elgort) has cleared his debt with a dangerous crime lord and found a promising new romantic relationship. However, he's brought back into the criminal underworld, where things immediately go sideways, putting him and his new love Debora (Lily James) in danger. There are plenty of great driving sequences throughout the film, but director Edgar Wright does something a little different from other car movies. 

Whereas other films use engines revving and gears clicking as the primary ambient noise, Wright deploys them as part of a soundtrack. Music is integral to "Baby Driver," making the soundtrack just as vital as the muscle cars on display. Every needle drop is curated to function perfectly with how each scene is cut, turning the film into a musical of sorts, even though it's a movie that relies heavily on visuals to take the audience on an exceptional journey. 

The idea of building a movie based on Matchbox cars seems unworkable. Matchbox cars are just cars; there's not much of a story to them. But there's always been plenty of lore affiliated with the Transformers franchise, and it's still going strong with various cinematic adaptations. And hands down, the best Transformers movie (according to Rotten Tomatoes) is "Bumblebee."

"Bumblebee" strips away a lot of the Michael Bay-oriented mayhem from the previous Transformers film to tell a more personal story. Bumblebee arrives on Earth and becomes friends with a young girl named Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), helping her in her personal life as she helps Bumblebee defend Earth from a couple of troublesome Decepticons. It's filled with '80s nostalgia and heavily features great driving sequences, courtesy of the Transformers' ability to turn into vehicles.

And there's one more very important thing the two films share — John Cena. Cena's the lead in "Matchbox," but he has an incredible supporting turn in "Bumblebee." He has arguably the greatest line in any Transformers film when he calls out the Decepticons: "They literally call themselves Decepticons. That doesn't set off any red flags?" It's proof that Cena has the comedic chops to pull off any role, no matter how small or big. 

If there's any movie to thank for the existence of "Matchbox: The Movie," it's "Barbie." News of an impending Matchbox adaptation came in 2022, before "Barbie" became a cultural juggernaut. But momentum only seemed to build for the film in 2024 when Sam Hargrave signed on to direct. "Barbie" breaking so many box office records convinced studios there was a lot of money to be made in films based on toys. They might have also learned that they could make a lot of money by allowing writers and directors with strong voices to bring their sensibilities to recognizable intellectual properties, but "toy movies work" appeared to be the main takeaway.

"Barbie" sees our main Barbie (Margot Robbie) enter the real world but then have to return to Barbieland once the Kens introduce the patriarchy into it. There's not much in the way of action, although there are quite a few driving scenes. But "Barbie" is more concerned with offering hilarious commentary on the Barbie brand, insights into the relationships between men and women, and one fantastic musical number featuring Ken (Ryan Gosling). 

Fans of "Matchbox" will also be pleasantly surprised to see a surprise cameo from John Cena, who has a brief role as a merman. "Barbie" is the most different film from "Matchbox" on this list, but it still offers a great time with superb humor. And it's a pop cultural cornerstone that anyone should watch, even if it's just to understand why we're probably getting a lot more toy movies in the years ahead.