After a difficult 2025, which saw a new original film, Elio, flop both critically and commercially, Pixar bounced back this year, beginning with the brilliant Hoppers, which stars Piper Curda as the voice of an animal lover who uses groundbreaking technology to become a robotic beaver, looking to save a local habitat. Then came the animation team’s biggest release in years, as Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack), and the rest of the gang returned for the long-awaited Toy Story 5.
After earning wonderful reviews from critics and being considered a return to form for a franchise that faltered in its fourth outing, Toy Story 5 was also a box office smash. The animated favorite followed in the footsteps of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Antoine Fuqua’s musical biopic, Michael, by becoming the third film of 2026 to make over $1 billion at the box office. Toy Story 5 will be hoping to continue Pixar‘s incredible trend of earning nominations at the Academy Awards come early 2027.
One such Pixar film to have earned nominations in both the Best Original Song and Best Animated Feature Film of the Year categories is 2006’s Cars, which didn’t leave with any Oscar gold but did take home the Best Animated Film prize at the Golden Globes. Owen Wilson‘s iconic Lightning McQueen became an instant hit with global audiences, scoring almost $500 million at the box office and spawning a pair of sequels and two spin-offs. Two decades later, it’s time to start your engines once again, as Cars returns to the big screen in celebration of its 20th anniversary. The film returns to theaters on September 4, coinciding with Lightning McQueen Day on September 5.
Another ‘Cars’ Project Is on the Way
The return of the 2006 original to theaters is to be followed by the expansion of the Cars franchise. Scheduled to debut on Disney Jr. in 2027 before moving to Disney+, Cars: Lightning Racers is an exciting new preschool animated series that features a new animation style and a blend of new and returning voices. Perhaps the most exciting is the confirmation that Wilson will be back to voice Lightning McQueen, with Larry the Cable Guy also returning as the lovable Mater.
Cars returns to theaters on September 4.
via Collider