Mattel revs up Matchbox movie with ‘Extraction’ franchise director Sam Hargrave in the driver’s seat

Barbie became the biggest movie of 2023 and, as reported, Mattel is opening its toy chest to find more box office gold by revving up a Matchbox movie.

ABC Audio has confirmed that Mattel Films has landed someone with serious action movie chops to bring it to the big screen: stunt coordinator-turned-Extraction franchise director Sam Hargrave.

The filmmaker is teaming up with bestselling author and The Adam Project screenwriter Jonathan Tropper and co-writer David Coggeshall (The Family Plan) to turn the beloved toy line created in 1953 into a movie for Skydance, which backs the Mission: Impossible films.

Incidentally, Mattel points out two Matchbox cars are sold every second somewhere around the world, and no doubt they’re hoping that turns into ticket sales, too.