The Walt Disney Company announced that Cars 2 will be Pixar's animated movie for 2011. Movie will likely star voices of Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt and Larry the Cable Guy.
Disney/Pixar will release Cars 2 as its CGI animated family movie in 2011, according to a report on Dark Horizons.
Cars is a controversial choice for a franchise. Although it was the most successful animated movie of 2006 at the North American box office, it's probably the weakest film in Pixar's back catalogue. Despite it being a hit, it also was one of Pixar's worst films at the box office, making $461,981,604 worldwide.
In contrast, last year's Ratatouille made $620,261,049 in worldwide box office receipts and received much better reviews.
Cars also wasn't the fans' choice for a possible franchise. The most popular choice for a sequel, after the Toy Story series, was the Emeryville studio's 2004 release, Brad Bird's superhero comedy The Incredibles.
However, what likely put Cars over the top as a franchise was its merchandising. Sales of toys, clothes and various gew-gaws from the movie totaled more than $1 billion, the most cash a Pixar film has made from its merch.
Cars Was Pixar's Last Film In Original Disney Deal
The flick was created by John Lasseter after then-Disney CEO Michael Eisner nixed Toy Story 3 as Pixar's last film in the original Disney/Pixar distribution deal. Although Eisner (highly) reluctantly allowed Toy Story 2 to be one of the movies in the 7-flick deal, he decided Cars should be the last Pixar movie to be distributed by Disney.
Cars followed the adventures of Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson), an arrogant young race car who learns that there's more to life than winning races.
It starred the voices of Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, John Ratzenberger and NASCAR fan Paul Newman, who was also a creative consultant on the flick. It's likely that all the actors, save Newman, will return for a sequel. Ratzenberger pretty much has no choice, since he's the studio's "lucky rabbit's foot," having voiced a role in every Pixar flick since Toy Story. Paul Newman announced his retirement in 2007, and isn't likely to return.
Most animation fans considered Cars to be Pixar's "fulfill the contract" picture, since relations between Disney and Pixar had reached an all-time low in 2005. Negotiations between Michael Eisner and Pixar founder Steve Jobs had completely broken down, with Jobs saying that he would never work with Disney again as long as Eisner was CEO.
This announcement was additional fuel for Roy E. Disney and Stanley Gold's Save Disney campaign, which resulted in Eisner's ouster in 2005.
Cars won nearly every major animated film award in 2006, with the exception of the Oscar which went to Warner Bros.' Happy Feet.
Toy Story 3, which will be directed by Lee Unkrich, will be Pixar's 2010 release.
Fun Fact: Then Disney CEO Michael Eisner thought that Finding Nemo was going to fail at the box office. In fact, he hoped the film would tank so he would have a better bargaining position with Pixar's Steve Jobs when they negotiated another distribution deal.
In an email to board directors on March 22, 2001 (as found in James B. Stewart's 2005 book Disney War), Eisner said the film "will be a reality check for these guys. It's okay, but nowhere near as good as their previous films. Of course they think it's great. Trust me, it's not."
Finding Nemo is Pixar's most financially successful film to date.
The copyright of the article Cars 2 Announced in Hollywood Animated Films is owned by Dominic von Riedemann. Permission to republish Cars 2 Announced in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
My son was 2 when Cars came out... although i didnt take him to the theater
to see it, we bought it immediately when it came to DVD. Every little boy i
know and even the young girls love cars. All the kids have their favorite
car, whether its McQueen, Mater,Sally, or Luigi. I think this show is
enjoyed by almost every family around the world.When the sequel hits, my
son will be 6, and i dont think his love for Cars will die in that time
period. I think he will be able to watch it and enjoy it completely. My
family loves this movie and we all look forward to taking my lil man to see
his favorite characters on the big screen. Disney/ Pixar you will not
regret this movie at all!!!!!!
Dec 29, 2008 8:31 PM
Guest
:
Cars was much more entertaining than Ratatouille. For example: the rat
controls the chef by pulling his hair? Give me a break. How about the rat
whispers in his ear instead? The story was weak without any stand out
characters. Name one likable character? The Rat? All the characters in Cars
were interesting and likable. Cars was only Huge in America? Poor Disney
how will they stay in business? Like the other parent that commented my son
was 2 when we got him the dvd and he watched every morning for months
(except the part with Frank, he soon learned to skip forward on the dvd
player). We will take my son to see Cars 2 as soon as it comes out and buy
the dvd. Too bad Paul Newman and George Carlin are gone. Doc and Filmore
were great.
Jan 1, 2009 10:24 AM
Guest
:
I am a nurse at Stanford University (close to Emeryville.) We had an exec.
from Pixar on the unit one week and I told him what a fan of Cars I was.
He said there would be a Cars 2 and it would deal with Mater racing on the
European circuit. We shall see...
Jan 10, 2009 9:34 PM
Guest
:
My whole family loves Cars!! Everyone we know knows who all the characters
are, I do not understand why it didn't make more because the movie theaters
over here were packed with fans. We collect all the little cars and my 2
year old son knows all the parts to the movie. He has played it out since
we bought it! I cannot wait for the sequal because we need a new version
here.
Jan 27, 2009 4:10 PM
Guest
:
My sons 2 and he loves this movie.. My dad had it for 4months and I just
get it back and he plays it all day that's all he wochs and that's all he
wonts is cars.. His rooms all cars. He will be the ferst in line for this
movie when it's out. Love this movie my self and I'm 22..
Jan 28, 2009 4:56 AM
Guest
:
My sons 2 and he loves this movie.. My dad had it for 4months and I just
get it back and he plays it all day that's all he wochs and that's all he
wonts is cars.. His rooms all cars. He will be the ferst in line for this
movie when it's out. Love this movie my self and I'm 22..
Feb 21, 2009 4:47 PM
Guest
:
my 2 year old son loves cars he watches it at least twice a day can't wait
to go see cars 2
Feb 25, 2009 6:34 PM
Guest
:
"Paul Newman announced his retirement in 2007, and isn't likely to
return." (Unless, of course, you believe in reinCARnation...) Rest in peace, Paul, you were one of a kind. And I hope they do make
a Cars 2- I loved the original!
Feb 26, 2009 8:45 AM
Guest
:
My son is 2 and just saw Cars for the first time. He loves it!
Feb 28, 2009 1:43 PM
Guest
:
Is Doc Hudson gonna be in Cars 2? If so what are they gonna do for his
voice since Paul Newman passed away?
Mar 9, 2009 2:31 AM
Guest
:
My Son was born right after "Cars" came out on DVD, he is 2 1/2
now and his room is covered in "CARS" he has the toddler bed and
bedding, a rug, pictues and posters, every single Cars Die cast ever made!
He LOVES his cars. It's just hard to belive that it was considered one of
Pixars worsed films. Even I love Cars and I'm 25! I am looking foward and
excited to see "CARS 2"
Mar 21, 2009 9:40 PM
Guest
:
I am 19 about to be 20 and I LOVE cars, this is my favorite movie of all
time, I can't wait till part 2 comes out along with toy story 1 and 2 in
3d and also toy story 3.
Mar 25, 2009 7:11 AM
Guest
:
My son was born the year Cars come out and that same year we moved from
the East Coast to the West Coast and enjoyed our trip on the Mother Road
Route 66. I believe my son and I have watch Cars over 100 times so our
family is looking forward to Cars 2.
May 6, 2009 3:55 PM
Guest
:
Both of my children love the movie "Cars"! In fact, they love it
so much we play it almost everyday! There has been no other movie which has
kept them entertained the way this movie has. I'm so delighted that a
sequel is in the works! The movie has a great lesson, and it reminds us
that what's important in life is our happiness and not the material things
we acquire.!
Jun 2, 2009 8:37 PM
Guest
:
Yeah another movie that i can Quote by heart!!! My son loves cars!!!
Jul 2, 2009 7:40 PM
Guest
:
My son is 4 and loves cars. His older sister loves cars too. As for the
merchandising, yep. I think the biggest drain on my wallet was the
"night vision" mcqueen that came with the book. Every car in the
book is on my son's wish list. I'm scared, very scared!
