Matchbox The Movie: Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE now with John Cena after Bond

• Matchbox The Movie launches worldwide on Apple TV on 9 October 2026
• The Scrambler 1200 XE appears throughout the film, and a featurette shows the work of the stunt teams
• The Scrambler 1200 XE was already the central stunt bike in the Bond film No Time to Die

After Barbie, Mattel is turning the next of its toy brands into a film, and Triumph is on board again. In Matchbox The Movie, the Scrambler 1200 XE turns up in many places. Triumph refers to it as the Scrambler 1200 XE Icon Edition. For the Hinckley manufacturer, this is not the first appearance of its kind. The big Scrambler was already seen in the 2021 James Bond film No Time to Die. Back then, it raced through the alleys of the Italian town of Matera. A stunt bike from that film was later auctioned for several times its estimated value.

What role does the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE play in Matchbox The Movie?

According to Triumph, the Scrambler 1200 XE can be seen throughout the film and takes centre stage in one of the big action scenes. This makes it one of the most important vehicles in the film.

The manufacturer particularly highlights the riding scenes. In several dynamic sequences, the motorcycle is meant to show how versatile it is. A dedicated behind-the-scenes featurette accompanies the film. It shows how the stunt teams worked with the Scrambler 1200 XE to pull off some of the most elaborate scenes.

Nick Bell, Chief Marketing Officer at Triumph, explains the choice of motorcycle: “The Scrambler 1200 XE is renowned for combining exceptional off-road capability with timeless Bonneville-inspired design, and has earned a reputation as one of the most capable and charismatic adventure motorcycles available today. So it’s a natural fit for the demanding action sequences featured in Matchbox The Movie.”

What is Matchbox The Movie about?

The film tells the story of a group of old childhood friends whose quiet lives are suddenly turned upside down. The trigger is their former leader Sean, who returns to his small hometown after many years.

Sean now works as an undercover agent for the CIA. Without meaning to, he drags his old friends into a dangerous international mission. In the end, it is about saving the world from disaster. Sean Walker is played by John Cena, the former WWE wrestler who has long been known as a film actor. In the film, he is not only an agent but also a proven vehicle expert.

The first trailer gives an impression of the film’s tone. Sean is sitting in a bar with his friends when they all suddenly feel dizzy. Shortly afterwards, they wake up as prisoners aboard a cargo plane. Sean hangs from the ceiling with his hands tied and is questioned about the hiding place of a nuclear warhead.

Alongside Cena, the cast includes Jessica Biel, Sam Richardson, Arturo Castro, Teyonah Parris, Corey Stoll, Bill Camp, Golshifteh Farahani, Danai Gurira and Indian actor Randeep Hooda. The film is directed by Sam Hargrave, who became known for the Extraction action films. The screenplay was written by David Coggeshall. The film is produced by Apple Original Films, Skydance and Mattel. The producers include David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger, Robbie Brenner, Ynon Kreiz and Jules Daly.

How did the Matchbox toy brand become a film?

Matchbox is a brand of small die-cast model cars that has existed since 1953. Since 1997, it has belonged to the toy company Mattel, which is gradually turning its brands into films.

The idea for Matchbox came from car enthusiast Jack Odell. His daughter was only allowed to take toys to school that fitted into a matchbox. Odell therefore built her a tiny car. When her classmates also wanted such cars, the brand was born. The models were initially produced by the company Lesney Products. The first big success was a model of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation coach, which sold more than a million times. According to Skydance, two Matchbox cars are sold every second worldwide today.

For Mattel, Matchbox The Movie is the next film after Barbie, which was released in 2023 and won an Oscar. Further projects are already in the works, including films based on Hot Wheels, American Girl, Barney, Polly Pocket, Thomas & Friends and Uno.

What role did the Scrambler 1200 XE play in the Bond film No Time to Die?

In No Time to Die, the Scrambler 1200 XE was the motorcycle in the big chase at the beginning of the film. The scene is set in the southern Italian town of Matera and ends with a jump onto the piazza.

At first, the assassin Primo, played by Dali Benssalah, rides the black Scrambler. He chases James Bond, played by Daniel Craig, through the town. Bond manages to take the motorcycle from him. He then rides it through narrow alleys, over stone stairs and finally jumps right next to a crowd of people. The Scrambler 1200 XE was specially modified for these scenes. Stunt coordinator Lee Morrison worked with Triumph on this. He later said that his riders pushed the motorcycle to its limits. They drifted through slippery alleys, took stairs in third gear and jumped with it, and in his words the motorcycle withstood everything.

One of these stunt bikes went under the hammer at Christie’s in September 2022. It was estimated at 20,000 to 30,000 pounds (approx. 23,600 to 35,400 euros / 26,400 to 39,700 US dollars). It sold for 138,600 pounds (approx. 163,500 euros / 183,200 US dollars). Triumph donated the proceeds to Severn Hospice, a British charity. The Scrambler from the film was also on display at the Bond in Motion exhibition in London and later at the Petersen Museum. To coincide with the film, Triumph launched the Scrambler 1200 Bond Edition, limited to 250 units worldwide.

What technology is in the Triumph Scrambler 1200 XE?

The Scrambler 1200 XE has a liquid-cooled twin-cylinder engine with a displacement of 1,200 cc. According to the description of the auctioned Bond bike, it produces 90 hp (66.2 kW) at 7,400 rpm.

Peak torque is 110 Nm (81.1 lb-ft) and is available from as low as 3,950 rpm. The engine has eight valves and an overhead camshaft. The crankshaft has a 270-degree crank pin offset. This means that the two cylinders fire at an uneven interval. This is intended to provide a smooth build-up of power. Power is transmitted to the rear wheel via a six-speed gearbox. The seat height is 870 mm and the wheelbase is 1,570 mm. These figures refer to the Bond bike from 2022.

At Triumph, the Scrambler 1200 is part of the Modern Classics. These are classic-style models that all use the Bonneville twin-cylinder engine. The name Bonneville recalls a speed record that Triumph set on the Bonneville Salt Flats in the USA in 1956. The same family also includes the Scrambler 900, the Speed Twin and the Bonneville T120.

Where and when can Matchbox The Movie be seen?

Matchbox The Movie launches worldwide on the Apple TV streaming service on 9 October 2026. The film is an Apple Original Films production.

Apple had already announced the release date in February 2026. The first three images from the film were also released at that time. The first trailer followed in July 2026. Anyone interested in the work with the Scrambler 1200 XE can also watch the featurette about the stunt scenes, which is being released alongside the film.

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