While the other cars pit for new tires, he stays out to take the lead, which backfires when his rear tires blow out on the last lap. At the back of the field, Lightning avoids a multi-car crash caused by Chick. In a world populated by anthropomorphic cars, the Dinoco 400, the final race of the Piston Cup season begins a rivalry between seven-time champion Strip "The King" Weathers, consistent runner-up Chick Hicks, and talented but arrogant rookie Lightning McQueen.
The success of Cars launched a multimedia franchise and a series of two sequels produced by Pixar and two spin-offs produced by Disneytoon Studios, starting with Cars 2 (2011). The film was dedicated to Joe Ranft, the film's co-director and co-writer, who died in a car crash during the film's production. The film was accompanied by the short One Man Band for its theatrical and home media releases. The film was released on DVD on November 7, 2006, and on Blu-ray in 2007.
It was nominated for two Academy Awards including Best Animated Feature, but lost to Happy Feet (but won both the Annie Award for Best Animated Feature and the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film). (as "Junior"), Mario Andretti, Michael Schumacher and car enthusiast Jay Leno (as "Jay Limo") voice themselves.Ĭars premiered on May 26, 2006, at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina and was theatrically released in the United States on June 9, 2006, to generally positive reviews and also received commercial success, grossing $462 million worldwide against a budget of $120 million. The film stars the voices of Owen Wilson, Paul Newman (in his final acting role), Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, Michael Wallis, George Carlin, Paul Dooley, Jenifer Lewis, Guido Quaroni, Michael Keaton, Katherine Helmond, John Ratzenberger and Richard Petty, while race carĭrivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. Set in a world populated entirely by anthropomorphic talking cars and other vehicles, it follows on a race car named Lightning McQueen, who, on the way to the biggest race of his life, gets stranded in a run down town called Radiator Springs and learns a thing or two about friendship, family, and the things in life that are truly worth waiting for. The film was directed by John Lasseter from a screenplay by Dan Fogelman, Lasseter, Joe Ranft, Kiel Murray, Phil Lorin, and Jorgen Klubien and a story by Lasseter, Ranft, and Klubien, and was the final film independently produced by Pixar after its purchase by Disney in January 2006. Cars is a 2006 American computer-animated sports comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures.