Why John Cena’s Matchbox finally tempted Jessica Biel back to movies after a decade
After a decade away, Jessica Biel explains in a new interview what finally tempted her back to films — and why Matchbox the Movie got the nod.
Jessica Biel is back on the big screen after a lengthy break, and it turns out it took a mix of nostalgia, cars, and John Cena to lure her back into the cinema world with Matchbox the Movie. In proper Comic-Con fashion, she sat down with Entertainment Weekly over the weekend and was genuinely gobsmacked when someone pointed out it’s been nine years since her last film role.
Jessica Biel’s last movie was released nearly a decade ago—her comeback with Matchbox is set for 9 October 2026.
The Pull of Matchbox Cars and Comedy
Biel was completely upfront about what convinced her to sign on for Matchbox. For starters, she’s not above a bit of nostalgia herself, admitting she grew up playing with Matchbox cars—which, apparently, never quite leave you. But there was more to it than just childhood memories. Biel said the cast was a big draw, as well as the chance to blend action and comedy again, and, yes, mess about with an array of 'amazing cars'. She called the whole job 'such a fun opportunity', clearly relishing the change of pace.
The Decade Gap and Life Off Screen
Her last film, Shock and Awe, was back in 2017. In the nine years since, Biel didn’t exactly disappear. She’s spent most of the interim producing and starring in a string of TV projects—including The Sinner, Limetown, Candy, and more recently The Better Sister. No small feat, considering she’s also raising two kids with Justin Timberlake. Teyonah Parris, who stars with Biel in Matchbox, put it bluntly in San Diego: Biel’s break from film was 'full'—full of producing, acting, and 'her role as an amazing mum'.
Biel and Timberlake have been playing what she describes as a 'tag team' with their careers for the sake of their sons, Silas (11) and Phineas (5). During the shoot for Matchbox, Biel was off in Morocco, Slovakia, and Hungary, while Timberlake was off touring the world. Biel told InStyle they try not to have both parents working flat-out at the same time, but sometimes the timing is out of their hands and you just have to get on with it.
The Film: Cast, Locations, and Release
Matchbox the Movie isn’t just a nostalgia trip for Biel—it’s packed with that kind of big, loud, action-comedy energy Hollywood seems keen on lately. Biel is joined by John Cena (because, of course), Teyonah Parris, Arturo Castro, and Sam Richardson. Apple TV’s picked it up for a global release on 9 October 2026. Actual filming zigzagged across Morocco, Slovakia, and Hungary, which probably made for some lengthy video calls back home.
Biel explained to InStyle that the film’s schedule "literally couldn’t have been worse" for her family’s usual work-life balance, but "you just have to take advantage of it."