| Cars | |
|---|---|
 Logo for the first film | |
| Created by | John Lasseter Joe Ranft Jorgen Klubien |
| Developed by |
|
| Original work | Cars (2006) |
| Owner | The Walt Disney Company |
| Years | 2006–present |
| Films and television | |
| Film(s) | Cars film series: Planes spin-off series:
|
| Short film(s) | Cars short film series:
Planes short film series:
|
| Animated series |
|
| Games | |
| Video game(s) |
|
| Audio | |
| Soundtrack(s) | |
| Original music | |
| Miscellaneous | |
| Theme park attraction(s) |
|
| Themed area | Cars Land (2012–present) |
| ** Work where this franchise's characters or settings appeared as part of acrossover. | |
Cars is an American animated film series and media franchise set in a world populated byanthropomorphic vehicles created byJohn Lasseter,Joe Ranft andJorgen Klubien. The franchise began with the 2006 film,Cars, produced byPixar and released byWalt Disney Pictures. The film was followed by the sequelsCars 2 (2011) andCars 3 (2017). The now-defunctDisneytoon Studios produced the two spin-off filmsPlanes (2013) andPlanes: Fire & Rescue (2014).
The first twoCars films were directed by Lasseter, then-chief creative officer of Pixar,Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Disneytoon Studios, whileCars 3 was directed byBrian Fee, a storyboard artist on the previous installments. Lasseter served asexecutive producer ofCars 3 and thePlanes films. Together, all threeCars films have accrued over $1.4 billion in box office revenue worldwide while the franchise has amassed over $10 billion in merchandising sales within its first five years.
TheCars franchise began with the originalCars. At the time, it was Pixar's least well received film by reviewers.[1]
The shortMater and the Ghostlight was released as an extra on theCars DVD on November 7, 2006.[2] A series of shorts calledCars Toons were produced and aired on theDisney Channel to keep interest up. The brand had sold nearly $10 billion in merchandise by the time of the release ofCars 2 in 2011.[1]
In 2007,Cars Four Wheels Rally ride opened inDisneyland Paris.[3]
In the summer of 2012, the 12-acreCars Land theme area opened atDisney California Adventure in Anaheim as the main component of $1-billion park renovation.[1]
A third film,Cars 3, was announced on October 8, 2015, and was released on June 16, 2017.[4]
Cars is the seventh Pixar film. The story is about rookie race carLightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), who gets lost on the way toCalifornia for a tiebreaker race in the Piston Cup, a famous race worldwide, and ends up in a little town called Radiator Springs onRoute 66, that had been bypassed and forgotten whenInterstate 40 was built. He accidentally wrecks the road and is sentenced to fix it. During his time there, he meetsMater (Larry the Cable Guy), who became his best friend, andSally (Bonnie Hunt). He also comes acrossDoc Hudson (Paul Newman), who used to be a famous racecar called the Hudson Hornet until a career ending crash in 1954.
After Lightning fixes the road, Doc Hudson no longer wants him in town, so he secretly alerts the media about Lightning's presence, but it doesn't take long for Hudson to realize how much Lightning has helped Radiator Springs, so he goes back to being the Hudson Hornet and becomes McQueen's crew chief, while most of the Radiator Springs folks become his pit crew. Lightning is about to win the race, but helpsThe King (Richard Petty) cross the finish line afterChick Hicks (Michael Keaton) causes him to crash. Chick wins the Piston Cup after being in third on the last lap, but is later booed by everyone, while Lightning receives praise for his sportsmanship.
Despite his loss, Lightning is offered to be the new face and sponsor of Dinoco, but he declines and decides to stay with Rust-eze, his current sponsor. He does, however, arrange for Mater to ride in the Dinoco helicopter just as he promised. The film ends with Lightning setting up his racing headquarters in Radiator Springs, thereby putting it back on the map.
Cars 2 is the twelfth Pixar film. The story starts with Lightning McQueen competing in the World Grand Prix, organized bySir Miles Axlerod (Eddie Izzard), a three-race event taking place in three countries:Japan,Italy, andEngland, with his racing rival being Italian formula carFrancesco Bernoulli (John Turturro).
Along the way, Mater is mistaken for an American spy by British spyFinn McMissile (Michael Caine), and falls in love with junior agentHolley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer). The three uncover a plot to sabotage the World Grand Prix, which is seemingly led byProfessor Zündapp (Thomas Kretschmann) and a group oflemon cars. When the event reaches its conclusion in London, Mater deduces that Axlerod is the mastermind behind the plot, as he started the event in the first place and had intended for cars everywhere to run on oil as revenge for the lemons' reputation as "history's biggest loser cars", implying that Axlerod is also a lemon.
With the plot foiled and the villains defeated, Mater is knighted by the Queen of the United Kingdom (Vanessa Redgrave), and a new race is held in Radiator Springs. Mater is invited by Finn and Holley to go on another mission, but chooses to stay in Radiator Springs. While his weapons get confiscated, he gets to keep the rocket engines he acquired, as the two agents take off inSiddeley (Jason Isaacs), the British spy jet.
Cars 3 is the eighteenth Pixar film. The story focuses on Lightning McQueen, now a veteran, dealing with a new generation of race cars taking over the world of racing. Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer) is an arrogant high-tech racer who leads the next generation. As everyone begins to ask him if he might retire, Lightning struggles with keeping up with these racers and during the final race of the season, he suffers a violent crash.
Four months later, a recovering Lightning mourns the late Doc Hudson and travels to the new Rust-eze Racing Center, now under the management of Sterling (Nathan Fillion). Sterling assigns Cruz Ramirez (Cristela Alonzo) to train him on the simulator, which Lightning accidentally destroys after losing control. Cruz's unconventional training methods and lack of racing experience frustrate Lightning, as they race on beaches and a demolition derby. Cruz reveals that she had always wanted to be a racer but never found the confidence to do so. In Thomasville, they encounter Hudson's old crew chief Smokey (Chris Cooper), who trains McQueen and explains to him that Hudson found happiness in mentoring him. Smokey's training methods inspire Ramirez as well.
At the Florida 500, Lightning begins racing, but remembers Cruz's racing dreams and has her take his place in the race. Using what she's learned on the road, Cruz found the confidence to catch up to Storm. She wins the race along with McQueen and begins racing for Dinoco, whose owner, Tex, purchases Rust-eze. Under the merged Dinoco–Rust-eze brand, Cruz becomes a racer, sporting #51, and McQueen decides to continue racing, with a new paint job in memory of Doc Hudson, but trains Cruz first for the season.
Regarding a possibleCars 4,Cars 3 producers Kevin Reher and Andrea Warren toldCinemaBlend that "If there's a good story to tell I mean our heads kinda break after having gotten this one done, like oh my God, what could you do the further adventures of? But like any sequel, fromToy Story 4 toIncredibles 2, as long as there's a good story to tell, it's worth investing; we do love these characters, we love them as much as the public does."[5] Regarding which character would be the main protagonist in the movie, Reher and Warren stated that "if Cruz is a breakout character, kind of like Mater was", "she [would] be involved in a4".[6] Owen Wilson stated at aCars 3 press event that possible stories have been discussed for aCars 4, though he would personally like for a fourthCars movie to delve into aspects of thethriller genre, akin toCars 2.[7] In an interview withScreen Rant,Lea Delaria expressed interest in reprising her role as Miss Fritter while promoting the release of the short movieMiss Fritter's Racing Skoool with theCars 3 DVD and Blu-ray release.[8]
In December 2023, it was revealed that Pixar is working on new media related to the franchise. During a recent interview at the 2023 Porsche Rennsport Reunion Event, the creative director of the saga, Jay Ward, revealed that they are developing new projects related to the franchise: "There are moreCars things brewing, I can't say much more yet.Cars has got a life that will keep going. I am working on some real fun projects right now that you will see in a couple of years. It takes us a while to make them."[9][10][11]
Mater's Tall Tales is a series of short animated films featuring Mater, Lightning McQueen, and their friends. The first three shorts premiered on October 27, 2008, onToon Disney,Disney Channel, andABC Family.[12] Not exclusive to television, the episodes have also been released on DVDs/Blu-rays or as in front of theatrical films. A total of 11 episodes have been released withTime Travel Mater (2012) being the most recent.[13]
All shorts in the series follow the same tall-tale formula: Mater tells a story of something he has done in the past. When Lightning questions Mater over whether the events in the story actually occurred (or in some episodes asks him what he did next), Mater always claimed that Lightning was also involved and continues the story including Lightning's sudden participation. The shorts end with Mater leaving the scene, often followed by characters or references to the story that was being told, suggesting that story might be real.
Tales from Radiator Springs is a series of short animated films featuring the various residents of the titular location. The first three two-minute episodes -Hiccups,Bugged, andSpinning - premiered on March 22, 2013, on Disney Channel, and have been available online since March 24, 2013.[14] A fourth short in the series, titledThe Radiator Springs 500 ½, was released in spring 2014 on the digital movie service Disney Movies Anywhere. It premiered on August 1, 2014, on Disney Channel. The short has a running time of 6 minutes rather than the usual two-minute running time.[15][16]
On December 10, 2020, during Disney's Investors Day event, Pixar announced that an animated series starring Lightning McQueen and Mater traveling the country while meeting friends, new and old, was in development.[17][18] On November 12, 2021, it was announced that the show would be titledCars on the Road, and that Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy would reprise their respective roles as Lightning McQueen and Mater.[19] It was released onDisney+ on September 8, 2022, as part ofDisney+ Day.[20]
On August 8, 2025, a new series titledCars: Lightning Racers was announced forDisney Jr. It will follow Lightning McQueen as he gears up for new adventures in Radiator Springs alongside his hilarious best friend Mater and new friends, thrill-seeking drag car Pipes and mud-loving monster truck Miles. The films' original cast members returning to reprise their roles include Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen and Larry the Cable Guy as Mater. It is set to premiere in 2027.[21]
Mater and the Ghostlight is a 2006Pixar animated short created for theDVD of the 2006 filmCars, which was released on October 25, 2006, in Australia and the United States on November 7, 2006.[22] The short, set in theCars world, tells a story of Mater being haunted by amysterious blue light.
Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool is a 2017 Pixar animated short created for the Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and DVD ofCars 3, which was released in the United States on November 7, 2017.[8] The short, set in theCars world, follows the "blindsided testimonials from the Crazy 8's, touting the transformative impact Miss Fritter's Racing School has had in reshaping the direction of their lives".[23]
In December 2020, two Cars short films were announced as part of Disney+'sPixar Popcorn series, which was released on January 22, 2021.[24] As with most of the shorts present in this series, none of the characters have voice roles.
In this short, the cars have a friendlyparallel parking competition.[25]
In this short, the residents of Radiator Springs show off their dancing skills at Flo's V8 Café.[25]
On September 4, 2024, a series of LEGO short films based on some Pixar films, was released on Disney+. The series included an episode related toCars, called "Trust Yer Ol' Pal Mater". In celebration of Lightning McQueen Day on September 5, the episode was released on the Disney Jr. YouTube channel, and received 1.6 million views in its first two weeks.
In 2013,Disneytoon Studios, Pixar's now-defunct sister company, released a spin-off film set in theCars world titledPlanes featuring planes as the main characters. The film was followed by a sequel titledPlanes: Fire & Rescue in 2014.
Planes is an animatedCars spin-off film produced by Disneytoon Studios. The first film in a planned duology[26] where the main characters are planes, the film was released in theaters by Walt Disney Pictures on August 9, 2013.[27] The film was directed byKlay Hall and executive produced byJohn Lasseter.[28] In the film, Dusty Crophopper, a small-town cropdusting plane, follows his dreams by competing in a world air race despite his fear of heights.
A sequel toPlanes, titledPlanes: Fire & Rescue, was theatrically released on July 18, 2014.[29] This film is also produced by Disneytoon Studios.Bobs Gannaway, co-developer ofJake and the Never Land Pirates andMickey Mouse Clubhouse, and co-director ofMickey Mouse Works andSecret of the Wings, directed the film.[30] Lasseter again served as executive producer. In the film, Dusty is now a world-famous air racer, but learns he will never be able to race again due to an engine problem. After accidentally starting a fire, Dusty decides to become a firefighter and trains at Piston Peak Air Attack.
APlanes short film titledVitaminamulch: Air Spectacular was released on the DVD and Blu-ray ofPlanes: Fire & Rescue.[31] It was directed by Dan Abraham and executive produced by John Lasseter. In the short film, Dusty Crophopper and Chug need to replace two daredevils in an airshow Leadbottom is hosting. At first unsuccessful, Dusty and Chug accidentally start a series of events that captures the audience's attention, eventually completing the stunt.
A fifthTales from Radiator Springs short film, titledTo Protect and Serve, was announced to be in development for a 2015 release.[32] However, it was never released.
The short would have been focused on Sheriff as he takes a mandatory vacation and leaves two rookies (voiced byWendi McLendon-Covey andAziz Ansari) to take over his duties as police officer. This, however, causes problems in Radiator Springs as the rookies over-do every aspect of their job in an attempt to score commendations, turning the town into a hotbed of taped-off crime scenes. Sheriff soon senses an imbalance and returns home to right the "justice" that has been served.
At theD23 Expo in July 2017,John Lasseter announced a third film in thePlanes series. Tentatively titledBeyond the Sky[a], the film would have explored the future of aviation inouter space. The film had a release date of April 12, 2019.[33] It was removed from the release schedule in March 2018,[34] and on June 28, shortly after the announcement of Lasseter's departure from Disney,[35] Disneytoon Studios was shut down, ending development on the film.[36]
Prior to its closure, the studio was planning several more spin-offs of the franchise focusing on boats, trains and other vehicles.[37] In November 2022, concept art for one of the proposed films, tentatively titledMetro, was leaked online.[38][39]
Earning over $1.7 billion,Cars, including itsPlanes spin-off films, is the fourteenth-highest grossing animated franchise as of August 2025.
In its opening weekend, the originalCars earned $60,119,509 in 3,985 theaters in the United States, ranking number one at the box office. In the United States, the film held onto the number one spot for two weeks before being surpassed byClick, and then bySuperman Returns the following weekend. It went on to gross $461,983,149 worldwide (ranking number six in 2006 films) and $244,082,982 in the United States (the third-highest-grossing film of 2006 in the country, behindPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest andNight at the Museum). It was the highest grossing animated film of 2006 in the United States, but lost toIce Age: The Meltdown in worldwide totals.[40]
Cars 2 has earned $191,452,396 in the United States and Canada, and $368,400,000 in other territories, for a worldwide total of $559,852,396.[41] Worldwide on its opening weekend, it made $109.0 million, marking the largest opening weekend for a 2011 animated title.[42]
| Film | Release date | Box office gross | Box office ranking | Budget | Ref. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | Other territories | Worldwide | All time North America | All time worldwide | ||||
| Cars | June 9, 2006 | $244,082,982 | $218,133,298 | $462,216,280 | #115 | #203 | $120 million | [40] |
| Cars 2 | June 24, 2011 | $191,452,396 | $370,658,161 | $562,110,557 | #197 | #145 | $200 million | [41] |
| Cars 3 | June 16, 2017 | $152,901,115 | $230,988,036 | $383,889,151 | #319 | #272 | $175 million | [43] |
| Cars films | $588,436,493 | $819,777,577 | $1,408,214,070 | $495 million | [44] | |||
| Planes | August 9, 2013 | $90,256,456 | $148,970,000 | $239,258,712 | #766 | #556 | $50 million | [45] |
| Planes: Fire & Rescue | July 18, 2014 | $59,165,787 | $92,220,853 | $151,386,640 | #1,315 | $50 million | [46] | |
| Planes films | $149,422,243 | $241,190,853 | $390,645,352 | $100 million | ||||
| Total | $787,376,631 | $990,307,950 | $1,724,169,837 | $595 million | ||||
List indicator
| ||||||||
| Film | Critical | Public | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | CinemaScore | ||
| Cars | 74% (198 reviews)[47] | 73 (39 reviews)[48] | A[49] | |
| Cars 2 | 40% (216 reviews)[50] | 57 (38 reviews)[51] | A−[49] | |
| Planes | 26% (121 reviews)[52] | 39 (32 reviews)[53] | A−[54] | |
| Planes: Fire & Rescue | 44% (93 reviews)[55] | 48 (29 reviews)[56] | A[57] | |
| Cars 3 | 70% (233 reviews)[58] | 59 (41 reviews)[59] | A[49] | |
The firstCars film had a highly successful run during the 2006 awards season. Many film critic associations such as theBroadcast Film Critics Association and theNational Board of Review named it the best Animated Feature Film of 2006.Cars also received the title of Best Reviewed Animated Feature of 2006 fromRotten Tomatoes.Randy Newman andJames Taylor received aGrammy Award for the song "Our Town", which later went on to be nominated for theAcademy Award for Best Original Song (an award it lost to "I Need to Wake Up" fromAn Inconvenient Truth). The film also earned an Oscar nomination forBest Animated Feature, but it lost toHappy Feet.Cars was also selected as the Favorite Family Movie at the33rd People's Choice Awards. The most prestigious award thatCars received was the inauguralGolden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film.Cars also won the highest award for animation in 2006, the Best Animated FeatureAnnie Award. The film was also nominated forAFI's 10 Top 10 in the "Animation" genre.[60]
This section includes characters who have appeared in the series.
This is a list of characters from the 2006 filmCars, its 2011 and 2017 sequelsCars 2 andCars 3, its 2013 and 2014 spin-off filmsPlanes andPlanes: Fire & Rescue, its 2006 and 2017 short filmsMater and the Ghostlight andMiss Fritter's Racing Skoool, its 2014 spin-off short filmVitaminamulch: Air Spectacular, and its 2008 and 2022 television seriesCars Toons andCars on the Road.
| Characters | Cars film series | Short films | Television series | Planes film series | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cars | Cars 2 | Cars 3 | Mater and the Ghostlight | Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool | Vitaminamulch: Air Spectacular | Cars Toons | Cars on the Road | Cars: Lightning Racers | Planes | Planes: Fire & Rescue | |
| Lightning McQueen | Owen Wilson | Keith Ferguson | Keith Ferguson | Owen Wilson | Photograph[61] | ||||||
| Owen Wilson | |||||||||||
| Sir Tow Mater | Larry the Cable Guy | Silent role | Larry the Cable Guy | ||||||||
| Doc Hudson The Fabulous Hudson Hornet | Paul Newman | Photograph | Paul NewmanA | Paul Newman | |||||||
| Sally Carrera | Bonnie Hunt | Bonnie Hunt | |||||||||
| Luigi | Tony Shalhoub | Silent role | Silent role | Tony Shalhoub | |||||||
| Guido | Guido Quaroni | Guido Quaroni | |||||||||
| Ramone | Cheech Marin | Cheech Marin | |||||||||
| Flo | Jenifer Lewis | Silent role | Jenifer Lewis | ||||||||
| Sarge | Paul Dooley | Paul Dooley | Silent role | Photograph[62] | |||||||
| Fillmore | George Carlin | Lloyd Sherr | Silent role | George Carlin[b] | Lloyd Sherr | ||||||
| Lloyd Sherr | |||||||||||
| Sheriff | Michael Wallis | Michael Wallis | Silent role | ||||||||
| Lizzie | Katherine Helmond | Silent role | Katherine Helmond | ||||||||
| Red | Joe Ranft | Silent role | Jerome Ranft | Jerome Ranft | |||||||
| Mack | John Ratzenberger | Silent role | John Ratzenberger | ||||||||
| Darrell Cartrip | Darrell Waltrip | ||||||||||
| Van | Richard Kind | ||||||||||
| Minny | Edie McClurg | ||||||||||
| Bob Cutlass | Bob Costas | Deleted scene | Bob Costas | ||||||||
| Strip "The King" Weathers | Richard Petty | Richard Petty | |||||||||
| Chick Hicks | Michael Keaton | Bob Peterson | Bob Peterson | ||||||||
| Tex Dinoco | Humpy Wheeler | Humpy Wheeler | |||||||||
| Rusty Rust-eze | Tom Magliozzi | Tom Magliozzi[c] | |||||||||
| Dusty Rust-eze | Ray Magliozzi | Ray Magliozzi | |||||||||
| Mia | Lindsey Collins | Uncredited voice actress' | Lindsey Collins | ||||||||
| Tia | Elissa Knight | Elissa Knight | |||||||||
| DJ | E.J. Holowicki | Unspecified voice actor | |||||||||
| Wingo | Adrian Ochoa | ||||||||||
| Boost | Jonas Rivera | ||||||||||
| Sheriff Woody | Tom Hanks | ||||||||||
| Buzz Lightyear | Tim Allen | ||||||||||
| Hamm | John Ratzenberger | ||||||||||
| Flik | Dave Foley | ||||||||||
| P.T.Flea | John Ratzenberger | ||||||||||
| Mike Wazowski | Billy Crystal | Silent cameo | |||||||||
| Sulley | John Goodman | ||||||||||
| Yeti | John Ratzenberger | ||||||||||
| Lynda "Mrs. The King" Weathers | Lynda Petty | ||||||||||
| "Junior"#8 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | ||||||||||
| "Mario Andretti"#11 | Mario Andretti | ||||||||||
| Fred | Andrew Stanton | ||||||||||
| Michael Schumacher | Michael Schumacher | ||||||||||
| Snot Rod | Lou Romano | ||||||||||
| Kori Turbowitz | Sarah Clark | ||||||||||
| Harv | Jeremy Piven (US) | ||||||||||
| Jeremy Clarkson (UK) | |||||||||||
| Jerry Recycled Batteries | Joe Ranft | ||||||||||
| Finn McMissile | Deleted scene | Michael Caine | |||||||||
| Holley Shiftwell | Emily Mortimer | ||||||||||
| Francesco Bernoulli | John Turturro | ||||||||||
| Brent Mustangburger | Brent Musburger | Brent Musburger | |||||||||
| Lewis Hamilton | Lewis Hamilton | ||||||||||
| Shu Todoroki | Erik Passoja | ||||||||||
| Nigel Gearsley | Greg Ellis | ||||||||||
| Siddeley | Jason Isaacs | Silent cameo | |||||||||
| Professor Zündapp | Thomas Kretschmann | ||||||||||
| Grem | Joe Mantegna | ||||||||||
| Acer | Peter Jacobson | Photograph | |||||||||
| Victor Hugo | Stanley Townsend | ||||||||||
| Ivan | |||||||||||
| Vladimir Trunkov | |||||||||||
| Tubbs Pacer | Brad Lewis | ||||||||||
| J. Curby Gremlin | John Mainieri | ||||||||||
| Rod "Torque" Redline | Bruce Campbell | ||||||||||
| Sir Miles Axlerod | Eddie Izzard | Photograph | |||||||||
| Tomber | Michel Michelis | ||||||||||
| Mama Topolino | Vanessa Redgrave (US) | ||||||||||
| Sophia Loren (IT) | |||||||||||
| Uncle Topolino | Franco Nero | ||||||||||
| John Lassetire | John Lasseter | ||||||||||
| Mach Matsuo | N/A | ||||||||||
| Austin Littleton | |||||||||||
| David Hobbscap | David Hobbs | ||||||||||
| Crabby the Boat | Sig Hansen | ||||||||||
| The Queen | Vanessa Redgrave | ||||||||||
| Prince Wheeliam | N/A | ||||||||||
| Otis | Jeff Garlin | ||||||||||
| Tony Trihull | Lloyd Sherr | ||||||||||
| Jeff Gorvette | Jeff Gordon | ||||||||||
| Colin Cowling | Colin Cowherd (US) | Colin Cowherd (US) | |||||||||
| Lofty Crofty | David Croft (UK) | ||||||||||
| Carla Veloso | Claudia Leitte (BR only) | ||||||||||
| Cruz Ramirez | Cristela Alonzo | Cristela Alonzo | Cristela Alonzo | ||||||||
| Jackson Storm | Armie Hammer | Archive footage | |||||||||
| Hamilton | Lewis Hamilton | ||||||||||
| Natalie Certain | Kerry Washington | ||||||||||
| River Scott | Isiah Whitlock Jr. | ||||||||||
| Junior Moon | Junior Johnson | ||||||||||
| Louise Nash | Margo Martindale | ||||||||||
| Ray Reverham | Ray Evernham | ||||||||||
| Sterling | Nathan Fillion | ||||||||||
| Smokey | Chris Cooper | ||||||||||
| Miss Fritter | Lea DeLaria | Lea DeLaria | |||||||||
| Dr. Damage | Bob Peterson | Bob Peterson | |||||||||
| Bobby Swift | Angel Oquendo | ||||||||||
| Brick Yardley | Diedrich Bader | ||||||||||
| Daniel Swervez | Daniel Suárez | ||||||||||
| Ryan "Inside" Laney | Ryan Blaney | ||||||||||
| Chase Racelott | Chase Elliott | ||||||||||
| Cal Weathers | Kyle Petty | ||||||||||
| Bubba Wheelhouse | Bubba Wallace | ||||||||||
| Dusty Crophopper | Dane Cook | Dane Cook | |||||||||
| Skipper Riley | Stacy Keach | Stacy Keach | |||||||||
| Sparky | Danny Mann | Danny Mann | |||||||||
| Chug | Brad Garrett | Brad Garrett | |||||||||
| Dottie | Teri Hatcher | Teri Hatcher | |||||||||
| Leadbottom | Cedric the Entertainer | Cedric the Entertainer | |||||||||
| Roper | Sinbad | Sinbad | |||||||||
| Ivy | Quinta Brunson | ||||||||||
| Mato | Dana Powell | ||||||||||
| Mateo | Oscar Camacho | ||||||||||
| Noriyuki | Masa Kanome | ||||||||||
| Speed Demon | Kathy Holly | ||||||||||
| Clutch Humboldt | Matt Yang King | ||||||||||
| Margaret Motorray | Toks Olagundoye | ||||||||||
| Griswold | Gabby Sanalitro | ||||||||||
| Bella Cadavre | Megan Cavanagh | ||||||||||
| Cap'n Long Leggy | Thomas Bromhead | ||||||||||
| Chieftess | Toks Olagundoye | ||||||||||
| Ishani | Priyanka Chopra | ||||||||||
| Ripslinger | Roger Craig Smith | Archive footage | |||||||||
| El Chupacabra | Carlos Alazraqui | ||||||||||
| Bulldog | John Cleese | ||||||||||
| Ned | Gabriel Iglesias | ||||||||||
| Zed | |||||||||||
| Rochelle | Julia Louis-Dreyfus (US) | ||||||||||
| Jessica Marais (AUS and NZ) | |||||||||||
| Lil' Dipper | Julie Bowen | ||||||||||
| Blade Ranger | Ed Harris | ||||||||||
| Dynamite | Regina King | ||||||||||
| Maru | Curtis Armstrong | ||||||||||
| Windlifter | Wes Studi | ||||||||||
| Cabbie | Dale Dye | ||||||||||
| Cad Spinner | John Michael Higgins | ||||||||||
| Pulaski | Patrick Warburton | ||||||||||
| Film | Director(s) | Producer(s) | Executive Producer(s) | Writer(s) | Composer(s) | Editor(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main series | ||||||
| Cars | John Lasseter co-directed by:Joe Ranft | Darla K. Anderson | story by: John Lasseter, Joe Ranft &Jorgen Klubien screenplay by:Dan Fogelman, John Lasseter, Joe Ranft, Kiel Murray, Phil Lorin & Jorgen Klubien | Randy Newman | Ken Schretzmann | |
| Cars 2 | John Lasseter co-directed by:Brad Lewis | Denise Ream | story by: John Lasseter, Brad Lewis &Dan Fogelman screenplay by:Ben Queen | Michael Giacchino | Stephen Schaffer | |
| Cars 3 | Brian Fee | Kevin Reher co-produced by: Andrea Warren | John Lasseter | story by: Brian Fee,Ben Queen,Eyal Podell & Jonathon E. Stewart screenplay by: Kiel Murray,Bob Peterson &Mike Rich | Randy Newman | Jason Hudak |
| Spin-offs | ||||||
| Planes | Klay Hall | Traci Balthazor-Flynn | John Lasseter | story by:John Lasseter,Klay Hall & Jeffrey M. Howard screenplay by: Jeffrey M. Howard | Mark Mancina | Jeremy Milton |
| Planes: Fire & Rescue | Bobs Gannaway | Ferrell Barron | Bobs Gannaway & Jeffrey M. Howard | |||
In May 2007, theCars video game was announced to be a "Platinum Hit" on theXbox, "Greatest Hit" on thePlayStation 2 andPlayStation Portable, andPlayer's Choice on theGameCube. Two sequels were released,Cars Mater-National Championship andCars Race-O-Rama. A video game based onCars 2 was developed byAvalanche Software and published byDisney Interactive Studios for thePlayStation 3,Xbox 360,Wii,PC, andNintendo DS on June 21, 2011.[63] The PlayStation 3 version of the game was reported to be compatible with stereoscopic3D gameplay.[64] In October 2014, Gameloft releasedCars: Fast as Lightning, a customizable, city-building racing game for smartphone platforms.[65][66] Lightning McQueen appears as a playable character inLego The Incredibles which was released in June 2018,[67] andRocket League in November 2023.
| Video game | Date released | Game system compatible |
|---|---|---|
| Cars |
| Xbox 360 |
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| Wii | |
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| PS2,PSP,GameCube,Game Boy Advance,Nintendo DS | |
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| Windows,Xbox | |
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| Mac | |
| Cars: Radiator Springs Adventures |
| Windows, Mac |
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| Cars Mater-National Championship |
| Wii, Nintendo DS,PS3, Xbox 360, Game Boy Advance, PS2, Windows |
| ||
| ||
| Cars Race-O-Rama |
| Nintendo DS, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360 |
| ||
| The World of Cars Online |
| Windows, Mac |
| Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales |
| Wii |
| Cars 2 |
| Mac, Nintendo DS,Nintendo 3DS, PS3, PSP, Wii,iOS, Windows, Xbox 360 |
| ||
| ||
| Kinect Rush: A Disney-Pixar Adventure[68] |
| Xbox 360 |
| Disney Infinity[69] |
| Wii,Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS, Windows |
| ||
| Cars 3: Driven to Win |
| Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3,PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360,Xbox One |
| ||
|
From the start, at least twoinspired or knock off direct to video series appeared,A Cars Life andThe Little Cars, that amounted to beingmockbusters.[70]
It has also been noted that the plot ofCars bears a striking resemblance to that ofDoc Hollywood, the 1991 romantic comedy which starsMichael J. Fox as a hotshot young doctor, who, after causing a traffic accident in a small town, is sentenced to work at the town hospital, falls in love with a local law student and eventually acquires an appreciation for small town values.[71]
The Autobots was released in July 2015 by Chinese companies Bluemtv and G-Point. On January 1, 2017, Disney and Pixar were awarded damages in their lawsuit against the two companies. The Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Court ruled that the Chinese film titledThe Autobots was an illegal copy ofCars thus fined the film's producer and distributor the equivalent of US$194,000. In his defense, director Zhuo Jianrong claimed he had never seenCars.[72]
A Cars Life was a series animated by theUAV Corporation, produced bySpark Plug Entertainment, and distributed byAllumination Filmworks. There were a total of four films issued from 2006 to 2015.[70] The series includedA Car's Life: Sparky's Big Adventure (2006),Car's Life 2 (2011),Car's Life: Junkyard Blues (2015), which was made for television, andCar's Life 3: The Royal Heist (2013).
The Little Cars is a big series animated by the Toyland Video (Vídeo Brinquedo) and distributed by Branscome International. There were a total of eight films produced in 2006-2007 and released from 2006 to 2011.[70] Toyland Video considers its "mockbuster" to be following a "Bollywood" approach of borrowing from Hollywood.[73]
Marcus Aurelius Canônico ofFolha de S.Paulo describedThe Little Cars series (Os Carrinhos inPortuguese), a Brazilian computer graphics film series, as a derivative ofCars. Canônico discussed whether lawsuits from Pixar would appear. The BrazilianMinistry of Culture posted Marcus Aurelius Canônico's article on its website.[74]
TheMattel-produced 1/55scale Toy Cars were some of the most popular toys of the 2006 Summer Season.[citation needed] Dozens ofcharacters are represented, with some having multiple versions available. Several stores had trouble keeping the toys in stock, and some models are still difficult to find[citation needed] because of being shipped in lower numbers than other characters.[citation needed]
Some online Disney enthusiasts are comparing it to the same shortage that Mattel faced with itsToy Story line in 1995.[citation needed] On August 14, 2007, the die-cast Sarge car, made between May and July 2007, was recalled due to "impermissible levels of lead" used in the paint.[75] AnotherCars product which followed the Disney-Pixar Cars Die-Cast Line were miniature versions of thecharacters which were painted in different colors to represent different events called Mini Adventures. Also,Lego has sets for thesequels.[76][77][78][79][80][81][82]
On June 22, 2006, Disney Consumer Products announced thatCars merchandise broke records for retail sales based on a Disney-Pixar product, recording 10-to-1 more volume thanFinding Nemo.[83] DCP reports that product expansion will take place in the fall alongside the DVD release of the film. Mattel has announced that Cars toys will continue through 2008 with the release of at least 80 new vehicles.
A 36 car pack called "Motor Speedway of the South" will feature most of the race cars seen during the opening race sequence of the film. (This is also the name for the track race in the film) Estimates from theNew York Daily News indicate that sales ofCars merchandise two weeks out from the release of the film amounted to US$600 million. Estimates put out in November by the Walt Disney Company peg total sales for the brand at around $1 billion.[84]
Kelley Blue Book, a resource for appraising values of vehicles, has humorously "appraised" four of the cars, Lightning McQueen, Mater, Sally Carrera, and Doc Hudson according to their make/model and personalities.[85] TheUnited States Department of Transportation has used scenes from the film in a commercial regarding theClick It or Ticket campaign.
In conjunction with the film's release, a chocolateice cream on a stick resembling a cartire was released in Australia. These ice creams were called "Burnouts". The naming of the particular product sparked controversy as the name "Burnouts" was believed to have encouragedstreet racing and committing burnouts. These acts are illegal and heavy fines and convictions are issued to those committing these acts in Australia. It is unknown as to whether the products have been discontinued. In Norway, the candy company Nidar produced candy with the characters on the outer packaging and pictures of the characters on the packaging of the assorted candy on the inside. These bags also came withCars themed tattoos.
In the U.S., an animatedWalmart truck can be seen on a Walmart advertisements forCars. In the Walmart TV commercial Mater was talking to the Walmart truck. In South Africa, Italy, and several other countries whereOpel is present (or with Opel models underChevrolet andVauxhall brand), GM has a campaign featuring aGeneral Motors Astra, anOpel Meriva, and aGeneral Motors Zafira as characters in the world ofCars, including TV ads made by Pixar, with the Opel models interacting with Lightning McQueen, Mater and Ramone.[86]
The first ad involved the Opels coming to Radiator Springs as tourists. The second involved their failed attempts at auditioning for Mater. In the end the Opels lost the part to the real Mater. In July 2006, greeting card giantHallmark Cards unveiled its line of 2006 Keepsake Christmas ornaments. Among the collection was an ornament featuring Lightning McQueen and Mater. There is also aCars children's clothing line, which produces various T-shirts and shorts.
In Japan, Disney Japan andToyota backed racing teamCars Racing replaced its racing car "Toy Story apr MR-S" and introduced the "Lightning McQueen apr MR-S" for the2008 Super GT season. The car was based on theToyota MR-S and the externals of the car were modeled on its of McQueen as much as possible.[87] This include their number change from their original No.101 to McQueen's #95. They won in Race 3 that season.
As of 2011, the Cars franchise has grossed over $10 billion in merchandise sales revenue.[88]
Cars Land is a 12-acre land located atDisney California Adventure[1] which contains an entire full-sized recreation of the town of Radiator Springs from theCars franchise. The land includes restaurants, shops, and three rides: Mater's Junkyard Jamboree,Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters, andRadiator Springs Racers,[89] the main "E-Ticket" attraction which is one of the most expensive rides Disney has ever built at a cost of over $200 million.[90] Radiator Springs Racers lets guests race against each other around Ornament Valley while encountering severalCars characters. Cars Land opened on June 15, 2012, with the completion of Disney California Adventure's expansion[91] along withBuena Vista Street.
Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters opened on March 7, 2016, and replacedLuigi's Flying Tires, an original Cars Land ride which closed in February 2015 after complaints and injuries.[92]
Cars Four Wheels Rally (French: Cars Quatre Roues Rallye) is an attraction inToon Studio atWalt Disney Studios Park atDisneyland Paris in 2007.[3][93] The ride opened one year afterCars showed its first screening on June 9, 2007.[citation needed] The attraction's setting is car service station in the small town of Radiator Springs located in the desert.[93] The attraction is surrounded by boulders which imitates the rocky formations of theGrand Canyon. The ride system is a highly themed Zamperla Demolition Derby.
Riders begin the attraction by sitting down in one of the generic car-shaped vehicles. The vehicles are located on one of the four spinning plateaus. The attraction's layout is similar to The Whirlpool atTokyo DisneySea, as the vehicles automatically change from one spinning plateau to the next. The vehicles change plateaus while carrying out the rotation inversion of eight separate vehicles. Cars Race Rally was the first operating Disney ride themed to theCars franchise.
Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy was a living character show attraction hosted byLightning McQueen located in Sunset Boulevard inDisney's Hollywood Studios that opened on March 31, 2019. Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy was the first of many new attractions coming to Hollywood Studios, part of its shift from studio-like attractions to attractions featuring Disney properties such asStar Wars, Pixar, and Marvel.
Much like the existingMonsters, Inc. Laugh Floor inMagic Kingdom,Turtle Talk with Crush in several Disney parks (includingEpcot), andStitch Encounter in the non-American Disney parks, Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy let guests interact with the character. The other attractions have actors voice the characters, which are manipulated via digital puppetry — the manipulation of digital animated figures in real time.
While the other cars of theCars films — Mater, Sally Carrera, and Cruz Ramirez, for instance — appeared on screens during the show, Lightning appeared in physical car form.
In September 2024, it was announced that the show would be closed on October 7, 2024, to make way for a Disney Villains-themed stage show,Disney Villains: Unfairly Ever After, which was opened on May 27, 2025, in the Sunset Showcase Theater.[94][95]
In August 2024, it was announced thatRivers of America andTom Sawyer Island inMagic Kingdom would be closed in 2025 to make way for aFrontierland redevelopment, themed to the American wilderness from theCars franchise. As such, theLiberty Belle Riverboat, was planned to stop operating as well.[96][97] In June 2025, it was announced that the Rivers of America and Tom Sawyer Island in Frontierland and theLiberty Belle inLiberty Square would close on July 7, 2025, to make way for Piston Peak National Park, which is inspired by a location featured inPlanes: Fire & Rescue.[98][99][100]
In the five years since its 2006 release, "Cars" has generated global retail sales approaching $10 billion, according to Disney. That ranks the Pixar film alongside such cinematic merchandising standouts as "Star Wars," "Spider-Man" and "Harry Potter," as well as its own paean to playthings, "Toy Story," according to researcher NPD.
Yes, we heard that they were developing other films in the franchise, Boats and Trains. But, beyond seeing some visual development, we don't know what, if any, of the films will be put into production.
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