Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast racers, the legendary Lightning McQueen is suddenly pushed out of the sport he loves. To get back in the game, he will need the help of an eager young race technician with her own plan to win, inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet, and a few unexpected turns.
Direction
Brian Fee's first feature — Pixar promoted a story artist and it shows.
Cinematography
Demolition derby mud sequence is genuinely gorgeous chaos.
Writing
Finally ditches Mater, focuses on McQueen's existential dread.
Director
Brian Fee
Owen Wilson
Lightning McQueen (voice)
Cristela Alonzo
Cruz Ramirez (voice)
Chris Cooper
Smokey (voice)
Nathan Fillion
Sterling (voice)
Larry the Cable Guy
Mater (voice)
Armie Hammer
Jackson Storm (voice)
Ray Magliozzi
Dusty (voice)
Tony Shalhoub
Luigi (voice)
Bonnie Hunt
Sally Carrera (voice)
Lea DeLaria
Miss Fritter (voice)
Kerry Washington
Natalie Certain (voice)
Bob Costas
Bob Cutlass (voice)
Margo Martindale
Louise Nash (voice)
Darrell Waltrip
Darrell Cartrip (voice)
Isiah Whitlock Jr.
River Scott (voice)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Paul Newman died in 2008; Doc Hudson's dialogue comes from unused recordings from the first Cars. Pixar essentially gave a deceased actor a posthumous supporting role.
This film quietly became Pixar's apology for Cars 2 — they literally sidelined Mater and brought back the original's emotional sincerity. It's the rare corporate mea culpa that actually works.
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