14 years on, I still don’t understand what Pixar was doing with theCarsfranchise when it released the bizarre sequel,Cars 2. Pixar is notorious for its “What if X had feelings?” movie plotline trend, so it makes sense that the 2006 classic animated movieCarswas a hit, earning $462 million at the box office worldwide. In fact, thePixar moviewas so successful that it was actually the sixth highest-grossing film of 2006, and the movie about anthropomorphic vehicles featuring Owen Wilson launched a multimedia franchise, which included two sequels, as well as the spin-off movie,Planes.
Carswas a critical and commercial success at the time of its release, and received two nominations at the Academy Awards.Its strange concept and unique character designs madeCarsa standout among other films, and the movie actually had a deeper moral message to it with Lightning McQueen’s character arc, much like many other Pixar movies. Therefore, when aCarssequel was announced, fans had high expectations for theupcoming Pixar movie. Unfortunately, whenCars 2released in 2011, despite its box office success, it received mixed reviews, with some regarding the film as theworst Pixar sequelever.
Cars 2 Is One Of The Weirdest Sequels I’ve Ever Seen
While Cars 2 Has Its Charms, The Numbers Aren’t In Its Favor
Cars 2is one of the weirdest sequels Pixar has ever done, and it is all down to the movie’s left-field plot. Consideringthe firstCarsmovie focused primarily on the famous racing car Lightning McQueen and his struggles with humility after getting lost in a small town that has never heard of him, you might expectCars 2to continue along the same track, perhaps even exploring the residents of Radiator Springs’ perspective on their newfound notoriety. However, Pixar decided to take the sequel movie in a completely different direction by makingCars 2into a James-Bond-style spy movie.
With a $200 million budget,Cars 2ranks among the most expensive films ever made, sitting in front of movies likeThe HobbitandTransformers,when adjusted for inflation. As a result, you would expect the movie to be a critical success. However,with Mater randomly helping spies uncover a racing conspiracy affecting McQueen’s races,Cars 2failed to capture what made the original so greatdue to its disjointed plot. The sequel received a disappointing 39% on Rotten Tomatoes, andCars 2was even responsible for breaking Pixar’s Oscar-nomination-per-movie streakthat had lasted 16 years, cementing its unfortunate legacy.
How Cars 3 Course-Corrected The Franchise After Cars 2
Cars 3 Focused On McQueen’s Legacy In The End Of An Era
Following the sequel’s critical disappointment,Cars 3seemingly ended Pixar’s movie franchise with Lightning McQueen’sstruggles racing against newer car models, in a nostalgic and emotional story.The deeper moral message was much more prevalent inCars 3, echoing the franchise’s original film, with critics praising the movie’s story, instead of slating Pixar for being purely sales-driven (like many feltCars 2was). Despite having the lowest box office of anyCarsmovie,Cars 3was a surprisingly refreshing addition to the franchise, focusing on Lightning McQueen’s legacy, and receiving a much-improved score of 69% on Rotten Tomatoes.
As a result ofCars 3’s“ending of an era” storyline, there has been a distinct lack ofCars 4updatesover the years, besides theCars on the Roadseries, with many feeling the Pixar franchise had come to an end. However, in 2023, co-creator Jay Ward toldThe Late Brake Show“there are more Cars things brewing” as he’s“working on some really fun projects right now that you will see in the next couple years.” Therefore, ifCarsdoes return, hopefully it will stay faithful to its original themes, straying away from off-center sequels likeCars 2.
Cars 2
Cast
Cars 2: Released in 2011, Cars 2 follows Lightning McQueen and Mater as they journey overseas for the World Grand Prix. While McQueen focuses on the race, Mater becomes entangled in international espionage, transforming their adventure into a high-stakes mission beyond the track.
