| Cars 2 | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | John Lasseter |
| Screenplay by | Ben Queen |
| Story by |
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| Produced by | Denise Ream |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography |
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| Edited by | Stephen Schaffer |
| Music by | Michael Giacchino |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures[a] |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 106 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $200 million[1] |
| Box office | $559.8 million[2] |
Cars 2 is a 2011 American animated spy comedy film[3] produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. It is the sequel to Cars (2006), the second film in the Cars franchise, and the 12th animated film from the studio. The film was directed by John Lasseter (in his final outing as director of a Pixar film to date), co-directed by Brad Lewis, produced by Denise Ream, and written by Ben Queen, Lasseter, Lewis, and Dan Fogelman. In the film's ensemble voice cast, Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Tony Shalhoub, Guido Quaroni, Bonnie Hunt, and John Ratzenberger reprise their roles from the first film. George Carlin, who previously voiced Fillmore, died in 2008, and his role was passed to Lloyd Sherr. They are joined by newcomers Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, John Turturro, Eddie Izzard, and Thomas Kretschmann. In the film, Lightning McQueen and Mater agree to compete in the World Grand Prix, an international racing event showcasing a new alternative fuel called Allinol, but Mater inadvertently becomes involved in a dangerous espionage mission that puts both his and McQueen's life in jeopardy.
Cars 2 was first announced in April 2008 with a tentative 2012 release date, making Cars the second Pixar film to spawn a sequel after Toy Story (1995), as well as becoming a franchise. Lasseter was confirmed to be returning as director, while Lewis was designated as co-director in June 2010. The film's story was conceived by Lasseter while he was traveling around the world promoting the first film. Michael Giacchino composed the film's score, with artists such as Weezer, Robbie Williams, Brad Paisley and Bénabar contributing tracks for the film. This was the final Pixar film animated with their old software system, Marionette, before being officially replaced with Presto in 2012. With an estimated budget of $200 million, Cars 2 is one of the most expensive films ever made.
Cars 2 premiered at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on June 18, 2011, and was released in the United States on June 24, in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D as well as traditional two-dimensional and IMAX formats. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, Cars 2 continued Pixar's streak of box office success, grossing over $559 million worldwide, becoming the tenth-highest-grossing film of 2011 and the highest-grossing film of the Cars trilogy. The film was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the 69th Golden Globe Awards, but lost to The Adventures of Tintin. A sequel, Cars 3, was released on June 16, 2017.
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- ^ Fritz, Ben (June 24, 2011). "Movie Projector: 'Cars 2' expected to sputter to No. 1 (Updated)". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 26, 2011. Retrieved June 24, 2011.
- ^ "Cars 2 (2011)". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on March 21, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2016.
- ^ Child, Ben (July 22, 2011). "Pixar's John Lasseter: 'Cars 2 is a spy movie'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved April 1, 2020.