Cars 2 coming a year early in summer 2011
Click above for high-res gallery of Cars photoshops done by readers
The Disney/Pixar movie Cars didn't have the box office appeal of movies like Wall·e and Toy Story, but on toy store shelves, the autos-only flick was a grand slam. Merchandising and the recent boon for sequels are two great reasons for film executives to make Cars 2. Disney and Pixar are so excited about an encore for Lightning McQueen and his buddy Mater that the 3D sequel has been moved up from 2012 to the summer of 2011. The highly anticipated (at least by us) Cars 2 will reportedly feature both carry-over and all-new characters, but we're assuming Lightning McQueen and Mater will be central to the plot. Hopefully Paul Newman will be well enough to come back for a second helping of Hudson Hornet.
Antz and Ratatoulie director Brad Lewis will take the reigns for Cars 2, and a big part of his job is to wow us with 3D race scenes and super high-def imagery while keeping all-ages storyline that made Cars such a good flick. To keep a new generation of adolescents interested five years after the original hit the silver screen, Pixar will release a series of shorts before the movie comes out, starting with Mater's Tall Tales. The movie is still three years away, and we'll spend that time hoping some automaker doesn't hijack the movie and make it a 90-minute marketing exercise.
Gallery: Pixar CARS Photochops
[Source: Reuters]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
VP 5:03PM (9/25/2008)
I think if there is one thing about a cars movie, it is the fact that there is not going to be a single sponsor dominance. I still don't get why some many people didn't like cars: I loved it.
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Brandon 6:38PM (9/25/2008)
Right on the money... I loved the movie myself!
J.D. 5:12PM (9/25/2008)
Antz wasn't a PIXAR movie, and was directed by two guys named Eric Darnell and Tim Johnson.
Brad Bird directed Ratatouille, and also did The Incredibles.
Brad Lewis was a *producer* on Antz and Ratatouille.
No hard feelings, Chris. Us movie nerds just get OCD about that kind of stuff.
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brandon 6:36PM (9/25/2008)
you sure now your movies
Patrick 5:22PM (9/25/2008)
Was it just me or did other people keep looking at the cars' headlights expecting them to be where their eyes should have been?
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Dasupersprint 5:41PM (9/25/2008)
+1
Michael T. Webb 11:21AM (9/26/2008)
http://www.chevroncars.com/store/index.php
Chevron has a set of claymation cars where the lights were the eyes. I have also seen them on other cartoon cars. Pixar needed a new look.
EXP Jawa 8:30AM (9/26/2008)
I had an issue with that as well the first time I watched it - the majority of previous cartoon cars used the lights for eyes. But after about the 47th viewing, you get used to the eyes in the windshield...
Tessai 5:29PM (9/25/2008)
I loved the Cars movie! Here's hoping the sequel is just as good, if not better, than the first one. I'm not worried, personally, given Pixar's track record.
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Ray 6:43PM (9/25/2008)
What?! EVERY Pixar movie has been phenomenal. I haven't seen WALL-E but given how all the previous movies have been I bet it's good too. I've never been disappointed with a Pixar title. Monsters Inc. was fantastic, Toy Story 1 & 2 were great, the Incredibles wasn't given the props it deserved and Finding Nemos seagulls were comedy gold. MINE!
Tessai 10:20AM (9/26/2008)
Exactly why I'm NOT worried about the quality of the sequel. I've loved every Pixar movie to date, with The Incredibles being one of my favorites.
Brad 5:54PM (9/25/2008)
I liked the first one as well. Especially Michael Schumacher's cameo.
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Chris 6:18PM (9/25/2008)
I loved the first movie, this one should be good as well.
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bigMIKE 6:49PM (9/25/2008)
[bragging]Enough about the movie. Do y'all like my Mater chop in the gallery? That is my actual truck that I used for the chop. Thankfully, the body work and paint are now complete. I have other chops in the gallery. It was fun. I can only put three URLs in the post, so here are three.
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/pixar-cars-photochops/123044/
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/pixar-cars-photochops/122895/
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/pixar-cars-photochops/122823/
[/bragging]
I really loved that movie.
bigMIKE
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DJ 7:23PM (9/25/2008)
Sadly, Paul Newman probably won't make it to the completion of Cars 2. We have already lost the voice of Fillmore, the VW van, played by George Carlin.
By the way, the first was an awesome movie and was the first Blu-ray disc I actually purchased.
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EXP Jawa 8:35AM (9/26/2008)
I always thought that they should've used Tommy Chong to voice Filmore. It would have been especially funny since they already had Cheech Marin for Ramone...
It'll be hard to replace Paul Newman. They practically wrote Doc's character with him in mind. At the same time, I can't imagine that they'd make the sequel without Doc in it.
ECF 7:25PM (9/25/2008)
I loved Cars and own it on BluRay... but I can't imagine why I care since this will be 2 years away next summer!
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Brad 8:45PM (9/25/2008)
The Disney/Pixar movie Cars didn't have the box office appeal of movies like Wall·e and Toy Story
Domestic box office:
Toy Story: $192 M
Wall-E: $220 M
Cars: $244 M
Maybe you mean to compare to Finding Nemo?
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pedantic 11:11PM (9/25/2008)
I wish people understood inflation. Here's the domestic box office all adjusted for inflation (2008 dollar)
Finding Nemo 404.5M
Toy Story 2 323.3M
Monsters Inc. 316.5M
The Incredibles 303.2M
Toy Story 275.7M
Cars 265.2M
WALL-E 220.5M
Bugs Life 218.8M
Ratatouille 218.1M
jbelkin 12:22AM (9/26/2008)
Chevron cars have the eyes on the headlamps ... as Pixar noted, CARs was inspired by a Disney 1952 short ...
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