Pixar's Cars (Franchise)

Cars is an animated film series and Disney media franchise set in a world populated by anthropomorphic vehicles created by John Lasseter, Joe Ranft and Jorgen Klubien. The franchise began with the 2006 film, Cars, produced by Pixar and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The film was followed by Cars 2 in 2011. A third film, Cars 3, was released in 2017. The now-defunct Disneytoon Studios produced the two spin-off films Planes (2013) and Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014).The first two Cars films were directed by Lasseter, then-chief creative officer of Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Disneytoon Studios, while Cars 3 was directed by Brian Fee, a storyboard artist on the previous installments. Lasseter served as executive producer of Cars 3 and the Planes films. Together, all three Cars 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.
== History ==
The Cars franchise began with the original 2006 film. The film was Pixar's least well received by reviewers.
The short Mater and the Ghostlight was released as an extra on the Cars DVD on November 7, 2006. A series of shorts called Cars Toons were produced and aired on the Disney Channel to keep interest up. The brand had sold nearly $10 billion in merchandise by the time of the release of Cars 2 in 2011.
In 2007, Cars Four Wheels Rally ride opened in Disneyland Paris.
In the summer of 2012, the 12-acre Cars Land theme area opened at Disney California Adventure in Anaheim as the main component of $1-billion park renovation.
A third film, Cars 3, was announced on October 8, 2015, and was released on June 16, 2017.
== Film series ==
=== Cars (2006) ===
Cars is the seventh Pixar film. The story is about rookie race car Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), who gets lost on the way to California for a tiebreaker race in the Piston Cup, a famous race worldwide, and ends up in a little town called Radiator Springs on Route 66, that had been bypassed and forgotten when Interstate 40 was built. He accidentally wrecks the road and is sentenced to fix it. During his time there, he meets Mater (Larry the Cable Guy), who became his best friend, and Sally (Bonnie Hunt).
After McQueen fixes the road, Doc Hudson (Paul Newman) no longer wants him in town, so he alerts the media about McQueen's presence, but it doesn't take long for Hudson to realize how much McQueen 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. McQueen is about to win the race, but helps The King (Richard Petty) cross the finish line after Chick 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 as comeuppance, while Lightning receives praise for his sportsmanship.
Despite his loss, McQueen 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 McQueen setting up his racing headquarters in Radiator Springs, thereby putting it back on the map.
=== Cars 2 (2011) ===
Cars 2 is the twelfth Pixar film. The story starts with Lightning McQueen competing in the World Grand Prix, a three-race event taking place in Japan, Italy, and England, with his racing rival being Italian formula car Francesco Bernoulli (John Turturro).
Along the way, Mater is mistaken for an American spy by British spy Finn McMissile (Michael Caine), and falls in love with junior agent Holley Shiftwell (Emily Mortimer). The three uncover a plot to sabotage the Grand Prix, which is seemingly led by Professor Zündapp (Thomas Kretschmann) and a group of lemon cars. When the event reaches its conclusion in England, Mater deduces that Miles Axlerod (Eddie Izzard) 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 McMissile and Shiftwell 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 in Siddeley (Jason Isaacs), the British spy jet.
=== Cars 3 (2017) ===
Cars 3 is the eighteenth Pixar film. The story focuses on Lightning McQueen, who deals 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, McQueen 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 McQueen 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 McQueen accidentally destroys after losing control. Ramirez's unconventional training methods and lack of racing experience frustrate McQueen, as they race on beaches and a demolition derby. Ramirez 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, McQueen begins racing, but remembers Ramirez's racing dreams and has her take his place in the race. Using what she's learned on the road, Ramirez 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 Hudson, but trains Cruz first for the season.
=== Potential fourth film ===
Regarding a possible Cars 4, Cars 3 producers Kevin Reher and Andrea Warren told Cinema Blend 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, from Toy Story 4 to Incredibles 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." 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 a 4". Owen Wilson stated at a Cars 3 press event that possible stories have been discussed for a Cars 4, though he would personally like for a fourth Cars movie to delve into aspects of the thriller genre, akin to Cars 2. In an interview with Screen Rant, Lea Delaria expressed interest in reprising her role as Miss Fritter while promoting the release of the short movie Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool with the Cars 3 DVD and Blu-ray release.
== Television series ==
=== Cars Toons ===
Main article: Cars Toons
==== Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales (2008–12)[edit] ====
Mater's Tall Tales is a series of short animated films or Cars Toons featuring the characters Mater and Lightning McQueen from the Cars franchise. The first three shorts premiered in 2008 on Toon Disney, Disney Channel, and ABC Family. Not exclusive to television, the episodes have also been released on DVDs/Blu-rays or as a theatrical short. A total of 11 episodes have been released with "Time Travel Mater" (2012) being the most recent.
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.
==== Cars Toons: Tales from Radiator Springs (2013–14) ====
Tales from Radiator Springs is a series of short animated films or Cars Toons. The first three two-minute episodes - "Hiccups", "Bugged", and "Spinning" - premiered on March 22, 2013, on Disney Channel, and have been available online since March 24, 2013. A fourth short in the series, titled "The Radiator Springs 500 ½", was released in spring 2014 on the digital movie service Disney Movies Anywhere. It premiered August 1, 2014, on Disney Channel. The short has a running time of 6 minutes rather than the usual two-minute running time.
=== Cars on the Road (2022) ===
Main article: Cars on the Road
On December 10, 2020, Pixar announced on Disney Investors Day that an animated series starring Lightning McQueen and Mater traveling the country while meeting friends, new and old, was in development. On November 12, 2021, it was announced that the show would be titled Cars on the Road, and that Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy would reprise their respective roles as Lightning McQueen and Mater. It was released on Disney+ on September 8, 2022 as part of Disney+ Day.
== Short films ==
=== Mater and the Ghostlight (2006) ===
Main article: Mater and the Ghostlight
Mater and the Ghostlight is a 2006 Pixar computer-animated short created for the DVD of Cars, which was released on October 25, 2006, in Australia and the United States on November 7, 2006. The short, set in the Cars world, tells a story of Mater being haunted by a mysterious blue light.
=== Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool (2017) ===
Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool is a 2017 Pixar computer-animated short created for the Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD and DVD of Cars 3, which was released in the United States on November 7, 2017. The short, set in the Cars 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".
=== Pixar Popcorn shorts ===
In December 2020, two Cars short films were announced as part of Disney+'s Pixar Popcorn series, which was released on January 22, 2021. As with most of the shorts present in this series, none of the characters have voice roles.
==== Unparalleled Parking (2021) ====
In this short, the cars have a friendly parallel parking competition.
==== Dancing with the Cars (2021) ====
In this short, the residents of Radiator Springs show off their dancing skills at Flo's V8 Café.
== Spin-off film series ==
In 2013 Disneytoon Studios, Pixar's now-defunct sister company, released a spin-off film set in the Cars world titled Planes featuring planes as the main characters. The film was followed by a sequel titled Planes: Fire & Rescue in 2014.
=== Planes (2013) ===
Main article: Planes (film)
Planes is a computer-animated Cars spin-off film produced by Disneytoon Studios. The first film in a planned trilogy where the main characters are planes, the film was released in theaters by Walt Disney Pictures on August 9, 2013. The film was directed by Klay Hall and executive produced by John Lasseter. 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.
=== Planes: Fire & Rescue (2014) ===
Main article: Planes: Fire & Rescue
A sequel, titled Planes: Fire & Rescue, was theatrically released on July 18, 2014. This film is also produced by Disneytoon Studios. Bobs Gannaway, co-developer of Jake and the Never Land Pirates and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, and co-director of Mickey Mouse Works and Secret of the Wings, directed the film. 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.
== Spin-off short film ==
=== Vitaminamulch: Air Spectacular (2014) ===
A Planes short film titled Vitaminamulch: Air Spectacular was released on the DVD and Blu-ray of Planes: Fire & Rescue. 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.
== Reception ==
=== Box-office performance ===
Earning over $1.7 billion, Cars, including its Planes spin-off films, is the eleventh-highest grossing animated franchise.In its opening weekend, the original Cars 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 by Click, and then by Superman 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, behind Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Night at the Museum). It was the highest grossing animated film of 2006 in the United States, but lost to Ice Age: The Meltdown in worldwide totals.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. Worldwide on its opening weekend, it made $109.0 million, marking the largest opening weekend for a 2011 animated title.
Film 	Release date 	Box office gross	Box office gross	Box office gross	Box office ranking	Box office ranking	Budget 	Ref.
Film 	Release date 	North America 	Other
territories	Worldwide 	All time
North America	All time
worldwide	Budget 	Ref.
Cars 	June 9, 2006 	$244,082,982 	$218,133,298 	$462,216,280 	#115 	#203 	$120 million	
Cars 2 	June 24, 2011 	$191,452,396 	$370,658,161 	$562,110,557 	#197 	#145 	$200 million	
Cars 3 	June 16, 2017 	$152,901,115 	$230,988,036 	$383,889,151 	#319 	#272 	$175 million	
Cars films 	Cars films 	$588,436,493 	$819,777,577 	$1,408,214,070 	 	 	$495 million	
Planes 	August 9, 2013	$90,256,456 	$148,970,000 	$239,258,712 	#766 	#556 	$50 million 	
Planes: Fire & Rescue	July 18, 2014 	$59,165,787 	$92,220,853 	$151,386,640 	#1,315 	 	$50 million 	
Planes films 	Planes films 	$149,422,243 	$241,190,853 	$390,645,352 	 	 	$100 million	
Total 	Total 	$787,376,631 	$990,307,950 	$1,724,169,837 	 	 	$595 million	
List indicator(s)
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=== Critical and public response ===
Each film is linked to the "Critical response" section of its article
Film 	Critical 	Critical 	Public 	Public
Film 	Rotten Tomatoes 	Metacritic 	CinemaScore	
Cars 	74% (203 reviews)	73 (39 reviews)	A 	
Cars 2 	40% (219 reviews)	57 (38 reviews)	A- 	
Planes 	25% (122 reviews)	39 (32 reviews)	A- 	
Planes: Fire & Rescue	45% (96 reviews) 	48 (29 reviews)	A 	
Cars 3 	69% (231 reviews)	59 (41 reviews)	A 	
=== Awards and nominations ===
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Cars
The first Cars film had a highly successful run during the 2006 awards season. Many film critic associations such as the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the National Board of Review named it the best Animated Feature Film of 2006. Cars also received the title of Best Reviewed Animated Feature of 2006 from Rotten Tomatoes. Randy Newman and James Taylor received a Grammy Award for the song "Our Town", which later went on to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song (an award it lost to "I Need to Wake Up" from An Inconvenient Truth). The film also earned an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature, but it lost to Happy Feet. Cars was also selected as the Favorite Family Movie at the 33rd People's Choice Awards. The most prestigious award that Cars received was the inaugural Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film. Cars also won the highest award for animation in 2006, the Best Animated Feature Annie Award. The film was also nominated for AFI's 10 Top 10 in the "Animation" genre.
== Cast and characters ==
This is a list of characters from the 2006 film Cars, its 2011 and 2017 sequels Cars 2 and Cars 3, its 2013 and 2014 spin-off films Planes and Planes: Fire & Rescue, its 2006 and 2017 short films Mater and the Ghostlight and Miss Fritter’s Racing Skoool, its 2014 spin-off short film Vitaminamulch: Air Spectacular, and its 2008 and 2022 television series Cars Toons and Cars on the Road.
Characters 	Cars film series 	Cars film series 	Cars film series 	Cars short film series 	Cars short film series 	Planes short film series 	Television series 	Television series 	Planes film series 	Planes film series
Characters 	Cars 	Cars 2 	Cars 3 	Mater and the Ghostlight	Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool	Vitaminamulch: Air Spectacular	Cars Toons 	Cars on the Road 	Planes 	Planes:Fire & Rescue
Lightning McQueen 	Owen Wilson 	Owen Wilson 	Owen Wilson 	Owen Wilson 	Keith Ferguson 	 	Keith Ferguson 	Owen Wilson 	 	Photograph
Lightning McQueen 	Owen Wilson 	Owen Wilson 	Owen Wilson 	Owen Wilson 	Keith Ferguson 	 	Owen Wilson 	Owen Wilson 	 	Photograph
Sir Tow Mater 	Larry the Cable Guy	Larry the Cable Guy 	Larry the Cable Guy	Larry the Cable Guy 	Silent role 	 	Larry the Cable Guy	Larry the Cable Guy	 	
Doc HudsonThe Fabulous-Hudson Hornet	 	Paul Newman 	Paul Newman 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Sally Carrera 	Bonnie Hunt 	Bonnie Hunt 	Bonnie Hunt 	Bonnie Hunt 	 	 	Bonnie Hunt 	Bonnie Hunt 	 	
Luigi 	Tony Shalhoub 	Tony Shalhoub 	Tony Shalhoub 	Silent role 	Tony Shalhoub 	Tony Shalhoub 	 	 	 	
Guido 	Guido Quaroni 	Guido Quaroni 	Guido Quaroni 	Silent role 	Guido Quaroni 	Guido Quaroni 	 	 	 	
Ramone 	Cheech Marin 	Cheech Marin 	Cheech Marin 	Cheech Marin 	 	 	Cheech Marin 	Cheech Marin 	 	
Flo 	Jenifer Lewis 	Jenifer Lewis 	Jenifer Lewis 	 	 	Jenifer Lewis 	Jenifer Lewis 	 	 	
Sarge 	Paul Dooley 	Paul Dooley 	Paul Dooley 	Paul Dooley 	 	 	 	 	 	
Fillmore 	George Carlin 	Lloyd Sherr 	Lloyd Sherr 	Silent role 	 	George Carlin 	Lloyd Sherr 	 	 	
Fillmore 	George Carlin 	Lloyd Sherr 	Lloyd Sherr 	Silent role 	 	Lloyd Sherr 	Lloyd Sherr 	 	 	
Sheriff 	Michael Wallis 	Michael Wallis 	Michael Wallis 	Michael Wallis 	 	 	 	 	 	
Lizzie 	Katherine Helmond 	Katherine Helmond 	Katherine Helmond 	Katherine Helmond 	 	 	Katherine Helmond 	 	 	
Red 	 	 	 	 	Jerome Ranft 	 	 	 	 	
Mack 	John Ratzenberger 	John Ratzenberger 	John Ratzenberger 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Darrell Cartrip 	Darrell Waltrip 	Darrell Waltrip 	Darrell Waltrip 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Brent Mustangburger 	 	Brent Musburger 	 	 	 	 	 	 	Brent Musburger 	Brent Musburger
Van 	Richard Kind 	Richard Kind 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Minny 	Edie McClurg 	Edie McClurg 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Bob Cutlass 	 	Bob Costas 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Strip "The King" Weathers 	Richard Petty 	 	Richard Petty 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Chick Hicks 	Michael Keaton 	 	Bob Peterson 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Tex Dinoco 	Humpy Wheeler 	 	Humpy Wheeler 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Rusty Rust-eze 	Tom Magliozzi 	 	Tom Magliozzi 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Dusty Rust-eze 	Ray Magliozzi 	 	Ray Magliozzi 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Mia 	Lindsey Collins 	Lindsey Collins 	 	 	 	 	Lindsey Collins 	 	 	
Tia 	Elissa Knight 	Elissa Knight 	 	 	 	 	Elissa Knight 	 	 	
DJ 	E.J. Holowicki 	 	 	 	 	 	E.J. Holowicki 	 	 	
Wingo 	Adrian Ochoa 	 	 	 	 	 	Adrian Ochoa 	 	 	
Boost 	Jonas Rivera 	 	 	 	 	 	Jonas Rivera 	 	 	
Mike Wazowski 	Billy Crystal 	colspan="5" style="background-color:#D3D3D3;"	rowspan="2" 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Sulley 	John Goodman 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
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 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Harv 	Jeremy Clarkson 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Jerry Recycled Batteries 	Joe Ranft 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Finn McMissile 	 	Michael Caine 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Holley Shiftwell 	 	Emily Mortimer 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Francesco Bernoulli 	 	John Turturro 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Lewis Hamilton 	 	Lewis Hamilton 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Shu Todoroki 	 	Erik Passoja 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Nigel Gearsley 	 	Greg Ellis 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Siddeley 	 	Jason Isaacs 	 	colspan="2" 	 	 	 	 	 	
Professor Zündapp 	 	Thomas Kretschmann 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Grem 	 	Joe Mantegna 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Acer 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Victor Hugo 	 	Stanley Townsend 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Ivan 	 	Stanley Townsend 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Vladimir Trunkov 	 	Stanley Townsend 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Tubbs Pacer 	 	Brad Lewis 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
J. Curby Gremlin 	 	John Mainieri 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Rod "Torque" Redline 	 	Bruce Campbell 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Sir Miles Axlerod 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Tomber 	 	Michel Michelis 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Mama Topolino 	 	Vanessa Redgrave 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Mama Topolino 	 	Sophia Loren 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Uncle Topolino 	 	Franco Nero 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
John Lassetire 	 	John Lasseter 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Mach Matsuo 	 	rowspan="2" 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Austin Littleton 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
David Hobbscap 	 	David Hobbs 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Crabby the Boat 	 	Sig Hansen 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
The Queen 	 	Vanessa Redgrave 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Prince Wheeliam 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Otis 	 	Jeff Garlin 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Tony Trihull 	 	Lloyd Sherr 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Jeff Gorvette 	 	Jeff Gordon 	Jeff Gordon 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Carla Veloso 	 	Claudia Leitte 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
Cruz Ramirez 	 	 	Cristela Alonzo 	 	Cristela Alonzo 	 	 	Cristela Alonzo 	 	
Jackson Storm 	 	 	Armie Hammer 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
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 	 	 	 	 	
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 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
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 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	Tom Bromhead 	 	
Chieftess 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	Toks Olagundoye 	 	
Dusty Crophopper 	 	 	 	 	 	Dane Cook 	 	 	Dane Cook 	Dane Cook
Skipper Riley 	 	 	 	 	 	Stacy Keach 	Stacy Keach 	 	Stacy Keach 	Stacy Keach
Sparky 	 	 	 	 	 	Danny Mann 	Danny Mann 	 	Danny Mann 	Danny Mann
Chug 	 	 	 	 	 	Brad Garrett 	 	 	Brad Garrett 	Brad Garrett
Dottie 	 	 	 	 	 	Teri Hatcher 	 	 	Teri Hatcher 	Teri Hatcher
Leadbottom 	 	 	 	 	 	Cedric the Entertainer 	 	 	Cedric the Entertainer	Cedric the Entertainer
Roper 	 	 	 	 	 	Sinbad 	 	 	Sinbad 	
Ishani 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	Priyanka Chopra 	
Ripslinger 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
El Chupacabra 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	Carlos Alazraqui 	
Bulldog 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	John Cleese 	
Ned 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	Gabriel Iglesias 	
Zed 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	Gabriel Iglesias 	
Rochelle 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	Julia Louis-Dreyfus 	
Rochelle 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	Jessica Marais 	
Colin Cowling 	 	Colin Cowherd 	 	 	 	 	 	 	Colin Cowherd 	
Lofty Crofty 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	David Croft 	
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
*Note: A grey cell indicates the character was not in the film.
== Crew ==
Film 	Director(s) 	Producer(s) 	Executive Producer(s)	Writer(s) 	Composer(s) 	Editor(s)
Main series 	Main series 	Main series 	Main series 	Main series 	Main series 	Main series
Cars 	John Lasseter Joe Ranft 	Darla K. Anderson 	 	John Lasseter, Joe Ranft & Jorgen Klubien Dan Fogelman, John Lasseter, Joe Ranft, Kiel Murray, Phil Lorin & Jorgen Klubien	Randy Newman 	Ken Schretzmann
Cars 2 	John Lasseter Brad Lewis	Denise Ream 	 	John Lasseter, Brad Lewis & Dan Fogelman Ben Queen 	Michael Giacchino	Stephen Schaffer
Cars 3 	Brian Fee 	Kevin Reher Andrea Warren	John Lasseter 	Brian Fee, Ben Queen, Eyal Podell & Jonathon E. Stewart Kiel Murray, Bob Peterson (filmmaker) & Mike Rich 	Randy Newman 	Jason Hudak
Spin-offs 	Spin-offs 	Spin-offs 	Spin-offs 	Spin-offs 	Spin-offs 	Spin-offs
Planes 	Klay Hall 	Traci Balthazor-Flynn 	John Lasseter 	John Lasseter, Klay Hall & Jeffrey M. Howard Jeffrey M. Howard 	Mark Mancina 	Jeremy Milton
Planes: Fire & Rescue	Bobs Gannaway 	Ferrell Barron 	John Lasseter 	Bobs Gannaway & Jeffrey M. Howard 	Mark Mancina 	Jeremy Milton
== Other media ==
=== Video games ===
In May 2007, the Cars video game was announced to be a "Platinum Hit" on the Xbox, "Greatest Hit" on the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable, and Player's Choice on the GameCube. Two sequels were released, Cars Mater-National Championship and Cars Race-O-Rama. A video game based on Cars 2 was developed by Avalanche Software and published by Disney Interactive Studios for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, and Nintendo DS on June 21, 2011. The PlayStation 3 version of the game was reported to be compatible with stereoscopic 3D gameplay. In October 2014, Gameloft released Cars: Fast as Lightning, a customizable, city-building racing game for smartphone platforms. Lightning McQueen appears as a playable character in Lego The Incredibles which was released in June 2018.
Video game 	Date released	Game system compatible
Cars 	
* NA: October 22, 2006	Xbox 360
Cars 	
* PAL: November 16, 2006	Xbox 360
Cars 	
* AU: November 22, 2006	Xbox 360
Cars 	
* NA: November 15, 2006	Wii
Cars 	
* PAL: December 7, 2006	Wii
Cars 	
* AU: December 13, 2006	Wii
Cars 	
* JP: March 21, 2007	Wii
Cars 	
* NA: June 5, 2006	PS2, PSP, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS
Cars 	
* JP: July 5, 2006	PS2, PSP, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS
Cars 	
* PAL: July 13, 2006	PS2, PSP, GameCube, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS
Cars 	
* NA: June 5, 2006	Windows, Xbox
Cars 	
* PAL: July 13, 2006	Windows, Xbox
Cars 	
* NA: June 5, 2006	Mac
Cars: Radiator Springs Adventures 	
* NA: June 6, 2006	Windows, Mac
Cars: Radiator Springs Adventures 	
* PAL: July 14, 2006	Windows, Mac
Cars Mater-National Championship 	
* NA: October 29, 2007	Wii, Nintendo DS, PS3, Xbox 360, Game Boy Advance, PS2, Windows
Cars Mater-National Championship 	
* EU: November 30, 2007	Wii, Nintendo DS, PS3, Xbox 360, Game Boy Advance, PS2, Windows
Cars Mater-National Championship 	
* AU: November 29, 2007	Wii, Nintendo DS, PS3, Xbox 360, Game Boy Advance, PS2, Windows
Cars Race-O-Rama 	
* NA: October 12, 2009	Nintendo DS, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360
Cars Race-O-Rama 	
* EU: October 30, 2009	Nintendo DS, PS2, PS3, PSP, Wii, Xbox 360
The World of Cars Online 	
* WW: June 29, 2010	Windows, Mac
Cars Toon: Mater's Tall Tales 	
* WW: October 19, 2010	Wii
Cars 2 	
* NA: June 21, 2011	Mac, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, PS3, PSP, Wii, iOS, Windows, Xbox 360
Cars 2 	
* AU: June 23, 2011	Mac, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, PS3, PSP, Wii, iOS, Windows, Xbox 360
Cars 2 	
* EU: July 22, 2011	Mac, Nintendo DS, Nintendo 3DS, PS3, PSP, Wii, iOS, Windows, Xbox 360
Kinect Rush: A Disney-Pixar Adventure	
* NA: March 20, 2012	Xbox 360
Disney Infinity 	
* NA: August 18, 2013	Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS, Windows
Disney Infinity 	
* EU: August 20, 2013	Wii, Wii U, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo 3DS, Windows
Cars 3: Driven to Win 	
* NA: June 13, 2017	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Cars 3: Driven to Win 	
* PAL: July 14, 2017	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Cars 3: Driven to Win 	
* JP: July 20, 2017	Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Xbox 360, Xbox One
=== Similar films ===
From the start, at least two inspired or knock off direct to video series appeared, A Cars Life and The Little Cars, that amounted to being mockbusters.It has also been noted that the plot of Cars bears a striking resemblance to that of Doc Hollywood, the 1991 romantic comedy which stars Michael 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.
==== The Autobots ====
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 titled The Autobots was an illegal copy of Cars thus fined the film's producer and distributor the equivalent of US$194,000. In his defense, director Zhuo Jianrong claimed he had never seen Cars.
==== A Cars Life ====
A Cars Life was a series animated by the UAV Corporation and distributed by Allumination Filmworks. There were a total of three films issued from 2006 to 2012.
==== The Little Cars ====
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 issued from 2006 to 2011. Toyland Video considers its "mockbuster" to be following a "Bollywood" approach of borrowing from Hollywood.Marcus Aurelius Canônico of Folha de S.Paulo described The Little Cars series (Os Carrinhos in Portuguese), a Brazilian computer graphics film series, as a derivative of Cars. Canônico discussed whether lawsuits from Pixar would appear. The Brazilian Ministry of Culture posted Marcus Aurelius Canônico's article on its website.
== Merchandising ==
The Mattel-produced 1/55 scale Toy Cars were some of the most popular toys of the 2006 Summer Season.[citation needed] Dozens of characters 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 its Toy 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. Another Cars product which followed the Disney-Pixar Cars Die-Cast Line were miniature versions of the characters which were painted in different colors to represent different events called Mini Adventures. Also, Lego has sets for the sequels.On June 22, 2006, Disney Consumer Products announced that Cars merchandise broke records for retail sales based on a Disney-Pixar product, recording 10-to-1 more volume than Finding Nemo. 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 the New York Daily News indicate that sales of Cars 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.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. The United States Department of Transportation has used scenes from the film in a commercial regarding the Click It or Ticket campaign.In conjunction with the film's release, a chocolate ice cream on a stick resembling a car tire 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 encouraged street 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 with Cars themed tattoos.In the U.S., an animated Walmart truck can be seen on a Walmart advertisements for Cars. In the Walmart TV commercial Mater was talking to the Walmart truck. In South Africa, Italy, and several other countries where Opel is present (or with Opel models under Chevrolet and Vauxhall brand), GM has a campaign featuring a General Motors Astra, an Opel Meriva, and a General Motors Zafira as characters in the world of Cars, including TV ads made by Pixar, with the Opel models interacting with Lightning McQueen, Mater and Ramone.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 giant Hallmark Cards unveiled its line of 2006 Keepsake Christmas ornaments. Among the collection was an ornament featuring Lightning McQueen and Mater. There is also a Cars children's clothing line, which produces various T-shirts and shorts.Lightning McQueen apr MR-S.In Japan, Disney Japan and Toyota backed racing team Cars Racing replaced its racing car "Toy Story apr MR-S" and introduced the "Lightning McQueen apr MR-S" for the 2008 Super GT season. The car was based on the Toyota MR-S and the externals of the car were modeled on its of McQueen as much as possible. 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.
== Theme park attractions ==
=== Cars Land ===
Main article: Cars Land
Cars Land is a 12-acre land located at Disney California Adventure which contains an entire full-sized recreation of the town of Radiator Springs from the Cars franchise. The land includes restaurants, shops, and three rides: Mater's Junkyard Jamboree, Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters, and Radiator Springs Racers, the main "E-Ticket" attraction which is one of the most expensive rides Disney has ever built at a cost of over $200 million. Radiator Springs Racers lets guests race against each other around Ornament Valley while encountering several Cars characters. Cars Land opened on June 15, 2012, with the completion of Disney California Adventure's expansion along with Buena Vista Street.Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters opened on March 7, 2016, and replaced Luigi's Flying Tires, an original Cars Land ride which closed in February 2015 after complaints and injuries.
=== Cars Four Wheels Rally ===
Main article: Cars Quatre Roues Rallye
Cars Four Wheels Rally (French: Cars Quatre Roues Rallye) is an attraction in Toon Studio at Walt Disney Studios Park at Disneyland Paris in 2007. The ride opened one year after Cars 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. The attraction is surrounded by boulders which imitates the rocky formations of the Grand 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 "Francis' Ladybug Boogie" attraction at Disney California Adventure and the "Whirlpool" at Tokyo 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 the Cars franchise.
=== Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy ===
Main article: Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy
Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy is a living character show attraction hosted by Lightning McQueen located in Sunset Boulevard in Disney's Hollywood Studios that opened on March 31, 2019. Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy is the first of many new attractions coming to Hollywood Studios, part of its shift from studio-like attractions to attractions featuring Disney properties such as Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel.Much like the existing Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor in Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland, Turtle Talk with Crush in several Disney parks (including Epcot), and Stitch Encounter in the non-American Disney parks, Lightning McQueen's Racing Academy lets 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 the Cars films — Mater, Sally Carrera, and Cruz Ramirez, for instance — appear on screens during the show, Lightning appears in physical car form.
== Notes ==
# ^ Paul Newman, who died in the year 2008, appears in Cars 3 through the use of unused recordings from the first film.
# ^ George Carlin, who died in the year 2008, appears in "Cars Toons"' through the use of unused recordings from the first film.
# ^ Joe Ranft, who died in the year 2005, appears in Cars through the use of unused recordings from Toy Story 1 and 2, A Bug's Life, Monsters INC., and Finding Nemo.
# ^ Tom Magliozzi, who died in the year 2014, appears in Cars 3 through the use of unused recordings from the first film.
== External links ==
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cars (franchise).
* Official website