Vin Diesel is bringing childhood nostalgia to the big screen. The Fast & Furious star will not only star in the upcoming Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots movie but also write the script and produce under his One Race Films banner.
The live-action adaptation will bring the iconic tabletop boxing game to life, featuring its legendary characters, Red Rocker and Blue Bomber, in an all-new adventure. Details on the plot are scarce, but Diesel teased that the story will “examine the role of competition in a world often measured by strength and dominance that dares to reveal the power of compassion at its core.”
Mattel Studios is backing the project, with Robbie Brenner, President and Chief Content Officer, praising Diesel as “a powerhouse storyteller with an unmatched understanding of action, heart, and world-building. His creative vision for Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots is bold, human, and deeply cinematic—exactly the kind of storytelling we love at Mattel Studios.”
The film will be overseen by Darian Greenbaum and Andrew Scannell for Mattel Studios, and Samantha Vincent will also produce alongside Diesel for One Race Films.
This marks another expansion of the Mattel Studios slate following the massive success of Barbie. The studio has more live-action adaptations in the works, including Masters of the Universe, starring Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man and Jared Leto as Skeletor, and a Matchbox racing movie featuring John Cena, both set for 2026.
Originally, the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots project was set up at Universal, but it now finds a new home with Mattel Studios. Deadline first reported Diesel’s expanded role on the project.