Whereas Disney/Pixar’s 2006 animated film
Cars
is generally considered?something of a minor entry in the animation studio’s larger filmography (if also a solid family-friendly cartoon feature?in its own right), most filmgoers seem to agree that the?sequel
Cars 2
is
Pixar’s weakest movie released to date
.?Pixar’s own Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter has
defended the
Cars
sequel
in the past, nonetheless, while other moviegoers have argued?that
Cars 2
isn’t necessarily a bad film in the grand scheme of kid-friendly entertainment; it’s just not up to Pixar’s usual?quality standard.
Moreover, both
Cars
and
Cars 2
were quite successful at the worldwide box office (they grossed $462 million and $560 million, respectively), which accounts for Disney/Pixar’s decision to move ahead with
Cars 3
. Those who are wary of a third
Cars
movie being made can take comfort in Lasseter’s comments about the project, suggesting that the film will offer a balanced measure of humor and heart more on par with what audiences have come to expect from Pixar films in general (and closer to what the original
Cars
offered, more than its followup).
Lasseter, speaking to
EW
at the blue carpet premiere screening for Pixar’s
Finding Nemo
sequel
Finding Dory
, said that
Cars 3
is a meaningful personal story for the series’ protagonist Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) ? one that touches upon his relationship in the first
Cars
movie with his elderly mentor, Doc Hudson (voiced by the late Paul Newman, who passed away between the release of the first two
Cars
films):
“Lightning McQueen, he’s awesome. We’ve got some great new characters, some great racing in it. It’s a very emotional story. It’s a little bit more akin to?Cars 1, where you get into a deep emotion with him.?It’s really a special story. It’s very emotional and his relationship with Doc Hudson, and his memory of Doc Hudson.”
Doc Hudson (Paul Newman) and Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson)
Cars 3
, as is being directed by Brian Fee (a storyboard artist on
Cars 1 & 2
), finds McQueen struggling to keep up with the ever-changing technology and techniques of the racing world. The sequel’s storyline harkens back thematically to the original
Cars
in that respect alone, as the original film (which Lasseter co-directed)?examined how the continuous evolution of?life in the
Cars
universe (specifically, when it comes to highway construction) resulted in the small town of Radiator Springs being ? quite literally ? pushed?off the map.
Similarly,
Cars 3
revolves around a student/teacher relationship; only in this case, McQueen is?the older vehicle and he receives instructions on how to keep up with the younger generation?of racing hot-shots?from an up and coming racing car,
by the name of Cruz Ramirez
(voice actor TBA). This is presumably where McQueen’s memory of Doc Hudson comes into play (as Lasseter mentions), since McQueen’s?current techniques and racing philosophy came from Doc ? something that will make it all the more emotionally challenging for him (and, in theory, poignant to watch as a viewing experience) to learn some new tricks from Ramirez, at the expense of the knowledge passed down to him by the Doc.
Already,
Cars 3
is sounding more on the level with Pixar’s better?movies and less similar to the Mater-centered globe-trotting romp that was
Cars 2
. It might not be enough to win over those who have never been fans of the?
Cars
?series to being with, but at least the third
Cars
?installment?has the potential to be a more satisfying work of Pixar storytelling than some were previously?expecting.
Cars 3
opens in U.S. theaters on June 16th, 2017.
Source:
EW