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The Cars franchise has been a huge success for Pixar, but Cars 4 still hasn't materialized despite continued demand for another sequel. The first Cars movie follows talking race car Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), who gets lost in a desert town on his way to a race and is forced to complete community service before he can leave. The cocky racer eventually falls in love with the small town and learns a little humility. While Cars wasn't critically acclaimed like other Pixar efforts, it was still a big success. Cars also boasted a great cast, including the legendary Paul Newman.
It's been years since the last movie, meaning anticipation for Cars 4 is high. 2017's Cars 3 was regarded as a positive shift for the franchise, an improvement on the second movie that tackled darker themes than Cars and Cars 2. Cars also launched a number of spinoffs, including numerous short films, video games, and the spin-off movie franchise Planes. The Cars franchise is now a beloved piece of Aughts pop culture, and Wilson's Lightning McQueen has entered the Disney pantheon. All this combines to make Cars 4 a hot commodity despite a lack of news.
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Here is every Pixar movie and TV show slated for release over the next few years, from new originals like Elio to sequels like Toy Story 5.
The Latest Cars 4 News
No Updates Since 2017
while Disney has announced many sequels throughout 2023 and 2024, including Zootopia 2, Toy Story 5, and Frozen 3, news about Cars 4 still hasn't emerged.
News about Cars 4 hasn't just been scant — it's been virtually nonexistent. After the Cars on the Road series hit Disney+ on September 8, 2022, many expected details regarding Cars 4 to come out sooner rather than later. That being said, Disney hasn't addressed the issue of Cars 4 in years. However, while Disney has announced many sequels throughout 2023 and 2024, including Zootopia 2, Toy Story 5, and Frozen 3, news about Cars 4 still hasn't emerged.
Owen Wilson's 2017 comments during the press tour for Cars 3, when he confirmed he'd be up for another entry, remain the most tangible news on Cars 4 so far (via Cinema Blend). Other than that, not a peep has been heard about a new Cars movie in years.
Cars 3 premiered on June 16, 2017.
Cars 4 Is Not Confirmed
Pixar Has Not Ordered Another Cars Movie
Cars 4 isn't confirmed, and probably won't be happening with Pixar's current slate of movies. Back in 2017, producers Kevin Reher and Andrea Warren had spoken about their openness to expanding the Cars franchise: “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" (via Collider).
The fact Cars 4 isn't happening is a little surprising. The Pixar movie series ranks high, with Cars toys and merchandise profits being among the studio's highest. In 2012, Cars as raking in an enormous $1.05 billion. However, that pulling power might not be quite as significant several years after Cars 3, which made the 2022 Disney+ spinoff Cars On The Road spin-off series the perfect compromise. Since the series failed to move the needle, it did little to help the chances of Cars 4.
Every Cars Movie By Box Office |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Title |
Release Date |
Budget |
Global Box Office |
Cars 3 |
Jun 16, 2017 |
$175,000,000 |
$383,541,369 |
Cars 2 |
Jun 24, 2011 |
$200,000,000 |
$560,155,383 |
Cars |
Jun 9, 2006 |
$70,000,000 |
$461,630,558 |
Cars 4 Cast Details
Will Lightning & His Friends Return In Cars 4?
The cast of Cars 4 isn't confirmed, though it's possible to make some predictions based on previous Cars movies. It is almost guaranteed that Cars 4 would include Owen Wilson (Loki, Zoolander) returning as Lightning McQueen. ing Wilson for Cars 4 would be Larry the Cable Guy (Witless Protection, Tooth Fairy 2) as Mater. In an interview in 2020, Larry the Cable Guy said he would be "happy" to return to the franchise if there is a new movie (via Pop Culture).
"Well, I'll tell you what I don't know, but if you hear, let me know and I'll call Owen. Because that's what we're trying to figure out. You know what, I don't know. That was a fun thing to do... You would think if you put in a billion-dollar theme park, you probably got to keep putting fuel in the tank. You would think. So I don't know."
It would also make sense to bring back Cristela Alonzo as Cruz Ramirez for the Cars 4 cast. In Cars 3, Lightning knew he was getting old, and it looked like the franchise, and Lightning himself, was setting things up to have Cruz as the future. However, Alonzo hasn't talked about returning for Cars 4, and it is unknown who outside of Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy could return for another movie in the series.
Cars 4 Story Details
Who's Back in the Driver's Seat?
The plot of Cars 4 is a total mystery, although it would likely focus once again Cruz Ramirez. Cars 3 introduced Ramirez as Lightning's trainer, but she eventually takes his spot in the final race. The third film was also described as the third act of McQueen's career, with the ending seeming to suggest Cruz would become the new racer while Lightning would act as a mentor.
Cars 3 producers Kevin Reher and Andrea Warren were even quoted in a 2019 article from The Cinemaholic as saying that they could see Cruz's Cars character involved in a possible version of Cars 4 if she ended up being a "breakout character" in Cars 3. Past comments from the Cars team also suggest the franchise would move further away from Lightning McQueen. In 2017, Brian Fee (who directed the third film) said in an interview (via Cinemablend):
"I actually don't know the future of the franchise. I don't know where we'll go after that. I don't know if we'll make one [another sequel]. If we do, will it be more McQueen? This is the third act but I don't know how many acts he has in his life. Will other characters be main characters, at this point I have no idea. I think anything's possible."
