World of Cars

"Life is a highway, a spy mission, and the finish line."

- The film's tagline

World of Cars is a 2020 animated road-comedy and spy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios. It is an installment of the Disney Reborn Multiverse. Distributed by Disney+, it features an ensemble voice cast that includes Paul Newman, Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Katherine Helmond, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Eddie Izzard, Armie Hammer, Cristela Alonzo, Tony Shalhoub, Paul Dooley, George Carlin, Cheech Marin, Jenifer Lewis, Michael Wallis, Thomas Kretschmann, Nathan Fillion, Kerry Washington, Lea DeLaria, John Ratzenberger, Michael Keaton, Guido Quaroni, Jerome Ranft, with John Turturro and Chris Cooper. The film also features numerous celebrity cameos provided by Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mario Andretti, Michael Schumacher, Jay Leno, Bob Costas, Darrell Waltrip, Humpy Wheeler, Jeff Gordon, Lewis Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Elizabeth II, Prince William, Darrell Wallace Jr., Chase Elliott, Kyle Petty, Mike Joy, Gary Clark Jr., ZZ Ward, Ryan Blaney, Daniel Suárez, Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Billy Crystal, John Goodman and Dave Foley, among others.

It was released on January 1, 2020, receiving positive reviews from critics, who praised the film's animation, and the voice talent performances (particularly Helmond). The film is dedicated to the memories of Helmond, who died in February 2019, and former racing driver Junior Johnson, who died in December 2019.

Synopsis
Disney+ presents a whole new world populated entirely by anthropomorphic talking cars and other vehicles. Piston Cup champion Lightning McQueen finds himself in Radiator Springs, learning that life is more important than crossing the finish line. McQueen and tow truck Mater head to Japan and Europe to compete in the World Grand Prix, but Mater accidentally becomes sidetracked with international espionage. After racing for six years as a veteran, McQueen sets out to prove to a new generation of high tech race cars that he is still the best race car in the world.

Returning voice talents include Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen, Bonnie Hunt as Sally Carrera, Larry the Cable Guy as Tow Mater, Michael Caine as Finn McMissile, Emily Mortimer as Holley Shiftwell, Cristela Alonzo as Cruz Ramirez, and Armie Hammer as Jackson Storm.

Plot
In a world populated by anthropomorphic talking vehicles, the final race of the 2005 Piston Cup season ends in a three-way tie between retiring veteran Strip "The King" Weathers, frequent runner-up Chick Hicks, and brash rookie sensation Lightning McQueen; the tiebreaker race is scheduled for one week later at the Los Angeles International Speedway. Lightning is desperate to win the race, not only to be the first rookie to win the Piston Cup, but also because it would allow him to leave the unglamorous sponsorship of Rust-Eze, a bumper ointment company, and take The King's place on the prestigious and lucrative Dinoco team. Eager to get to California as soon as possible, he pushes his big rig, Mack, to travel all night long. While Lightning is sleeping, Mack nods off and is startled awake, causing Lightning to fall out the back of the trailer and onto the road. Lightning wakes up in the middle of traffic and speeds off the highway in search of Mack, but instead ends up in the rundown desert town of Radiator Springs, where he inadvertently damages the pavement of the main road.

The next day, Lightning is ordered by the town judge, Doc Hudson, to leave town immediately, but the local lawyer, Sally, requests that Lightning should instead be assigned community service to repave the road, to which Doc reluctantly agrees. Still in a rush to leave town, Lightning repaves the road shoddily, and is ordered to repave it again. During this time, he begins to warm to the town, and befriends several of its residents. He learns that Radiator Springs was once a popular stop along U.S. Route 66 until it was bypassed with the construction of the Interstate System and mostly forgotten, and that Doc was a famous three-time Piston Cup winner whose career ended prematurely from a serious crash. He bonds with Sally, who found happiness when she gave up a fast life in LA to live in Radiator Springs, and now dreams of putting the town back on the map. Lightning finishes repaving the road, reinvigorating the town's residents, and decides to spend an extra day in Radiator Springs with his new friends, but his time there is cut short when Mack and the media descend on the town. Lightning reluctantly leaves to reach California in time for the race while Sally chastises Doc upon discovering that he was responsible for tipping off the media to Lightning's whereabouts.

At the race, Lightning races distractedly and soon falls into last place. He is then surprised to discover that Doc, having a change of heart, has taken over as his crew chief and several of his other friends from Radiator Springs are helping in the pit. Inspired and recalling tricks he learned from Doc and his friends, Lightning quickly emerges to lead the race into the final laps, but at the last minute, Chick, refusing to lose to The King again, sideswipes and sends The King into a dangerous crash. Recalling Doc's fate, Lightning stops just short of the finish line, allowing Chick to win, and drives back to push The King over the finish line. As a result, the angered crowd and media condemn Chick's victory while also praising Lightning's sportsmanship. Lightning is offered the Dinoco sponsorship, but declines and insists on staying with Rust-Eze out of loyalty for their past support. Back at Radiator Springs, Lightning reunites with Sally and announces that he will be setting up his racing headquarters there, putting Radiator Springs back on the map.

Throughout the 2016 Piston Cup season, McQueen, now a three-time Piston Cup champion after the recent death of Doc and the other veteran racers of the Piston Cup racing series suddenly find themselves struggling to win against next-generation rookies like Jackson Storm, who utilize advanced technology and modern training methods. As Storm's breakout success attracts other rookies to the series, most of the veterans either retire or are fired to make way for the new generation. In the final race of the season, McQueen desperately attempts to overtake Storm but loses control and suffers a violent crash, leaving him badly injured.

Four months later, McQueen is still recovering in Radiator Springs, isolating himself from his friends and spending his time watching footage of Doc. After receiving some encouragement from Sally, McQueen decides to return to racing and calls his sponsors from Rust-Eze, Rusty and Dusty, who reveal that they have sold the team to a new owner named Sterling. In a new state-of-the-art training center, Sterling assigns McQueen to train under racing trainer Cruz Ramirez. McQueen struggles to adapt to Cruz's modern methods and fails to improve, damaging an expensive simulator in the process, so Sterling tries to force him into retirement. McQueen offers a deal: if he can win the first race of the season, he can continue racing as long as he wants; otherwise, he will retire immediately. Sterling is worried about damaging McQueen's marketability, but accepts the deal, but assigns Cruz to join him.

McQueen tries to train on nearby Fireball Beach but ends up spending most of his time teaching Cruz how to drive on the sandy terrain. McQueen then attempts to join a race incognito at a famous dirt track called Thunder Hollow, but inadvertently enters a figure-8-style demolition derby with Cruz, which she wins. McQueen's identity is also discovered, adding to his humiliation. Distraught at the apparent waste of training time, McQueen rages at Cruz and in the process accidentally breaks her trophy. Cruz reveals that she had wanted to be a racer just like McQueen all her life, but never started a race due to her feeling intimidated and outclassed by the other racers. She resigns as McQueen's trainer and heads back to the training center.

Guilty and with no other options, McQueen calls his friend Mater for advice. He suggests that McQueen tracks down Doc's mentor Smokey, in Doc's hometown of Thomasville, so McQueen catches up to Cruz and convinces her to rejoin him. In Thomasville, McQueen meets up with Smokey, who reveals that despite the fact Doc never raced again, he found new happiness in training McQueen. After McQueen accepts that he will never be as fast as Storm, Smokey and his friends help McQueen learn new tricks to overcome his speed disadvantage, using Cruz as his sparring partner. However, during the final practice race, Cruz suddenly overtakes him and he suffers a flashback to his crash, shaking his confidence.

At the race in Florida, McQueen starts last, but with coaching from Smokey in the pits, manages to gradually push up the ranks. Sterling, who still believes McQueen can't win, orders Cruz back to the training center, despite her wanting to stay and watch the race. Overhearing the exchange and remembering Cruz's dream of racing, McQueen instead has his crew outfit her to take his place, which includes painting on her his #95. While shaky at first, Cruz is able to push up the ranks thanks to McQueen coaching her using a combination of what he taught her and her own training methods, and eventually ends up right behind Storm. Storm, feeling threatened, tries to intimidate Cruz, even to the point of ramming her against the wall in the final lap. Cruz, however, uses one of Doc's old tricks to outmaneuver him and wins the race.

As Cruz celebrates her victory, Sterling offers her a role on his team, but she instead takes a counteroffer from legendary owner Tex Dinoco. Sterling reminds McQueen about his bet, but as McQueen started the race that Cruz finished using the same number, he gets a share of the win, thus winning his bet. Sometime later, McQueen and Cruz return to Radiator Springs, where McQueen reveals that Tex, after seeing Sterling's callousness, has bought Rust-eze from him, and McQueen, now decked in Doc's racing colors, decides to continue racing and train Cruz.

Finn McMissile, a British spy, infiltrates an oil rig owned by a group of lemon cars to rescue a fellow spy. He witnesses the lemons, seemingly led by Professor Zündapp, load an electromagnetic pulse emitter, disguised as a camera onto a shipping crate. After finding out the agent he came to rescue is dead, he flees and fakes his death.

After training Cruz and win his last Piston Cup, McQueen returns to Radiator Springs. However, Italian formula race car, Francesco Bernoulli, challenges McQueen to race in the newly created World Grand Prix, led by its creator Sir Miles Axlerod, who intends to promote his new environmentally friendly fuel, Allinol. McQueen and Mater — along with Luigi, Guido, Fillmore, and Sarge — depart for Tokyo for the first race of the Grand Prix.

At a World Grand Prix promotional event, Mater makes a scene after leaking oil and eating a bowl of Wasabi, angering McQueen. While cleaning up, Mater interrupts a fight between American spy Rod "Torque" Redline (whom McMissile and his new partner Holley Shiftwell attempt to meet) and lemons Grem and Acer. Redline passes his information to Mater, whom Holley mistakes as a spy. Meanwhile, Redline is captured and killed by Professor Zündapp, who reveals that Allinol combusts when hit with an EMP pulse. Zündapp informs his superior, an unknown mastermind, that Redline passed on his information.

At the first race, three cars are ignited by the camera. McQueen places second in the race after Bernoulli, due to Mater accidentally giving him bad racing advice while evading Zündapp's henchmen with help from Holley and Finn. McQueen snaps at Mater, who is abducted by Finn while attempting to return to Radiator Springs. After traveling to Paris to collect more information from Finn's old friend Tomber, they travel to Porto Corsa, Italy, where the next race is being held. During the race, Mater infiltrates the criminals' meeting, just as the camera is used on a few more cars, causing a multi-car pileup, while McQueen finishes first. Due to increased fears over Allinol's safety, Axlerod lifts the requirement to use it for the final race. However, when McQueen decides to continue using it, the criminals plot to kill McQueen in the next race in London. This spooks Mater, causing him to blow his cover and allow him, Finn, and Holley to be captured.

Mater, Finn, and Holley are taken to and tied up inside Big Ben. Mater learns that the camera did not function on McQueen, but the criminals tell him they planted a bomb in his pits as a backup plan, spurring him to break free and escape. Finn and Holley escape soon after, but realize that the bomb is on Mater's air filter. Mater had already arrived at the pits when they tell him this, so he flees down the race course while McQueen chases after him. Finn apprehends Professor Zündapp while he attempts to escape. The other lemons arrive and outnumber Finn, Holley, Mater, and McQueen, but they are soon rescued by the arrival of the other Radiator Springs residents. Mater then uses evidence he has seen to reveal that Axlerod is the mastermind of the plot and the car who placed the bomb on Mater. Mater forces Axlerod to deactivate the bomb, and he and the other lemons are arrested.

Mater receives an honorary knighthood from the Queen, while Sarge reveals that he changed McQueen's fuel from Allinol (which, it turns out, is only gasoline) to Fillmore's organic biofuel, explaining why the camera did not work on him. Finn and Holley ask if Mater can join them on another mission, but he politely declines, and then participates with the World Grand Prix competitors in a race at Radiator Springs.

Voice cast
A 1951 Hudson Hornet, who is later revealed to be the Fabulous Hudson Hornet. A young Piston Cup rookie. A 2002 996-series Porsche 911 Carrera, who is McQueen's girlfriend. A 1951 International Harvester L-170 "boom" truck. A 1923 Ford Model T, who is the widow of the late Stanley. An old train, who works on the Ornament Valley Railroad. A British spy car. A beautiful young British desk agent, new to field work, who is Mater's girlfriend. A British electric car, who created Allinol, and is the secret mastermind of the lemons. McQueen's new racing rival. A 2017 crs sports coupe, who is Lightning McQueen's trainer. A 1959 Fiat 500. A 1941 Willys model jeep, in the style used by the US Military. A 1960 VW Bus. A 1959 Chevrolet Impala Lowrider. A 1957 General Motors Motorama show car. The doctor from Germany, who is Axlerod's assistant. A 1949 Mercury Club Coupe (police package). A rich business car and the new Rust-eze team owner. A statistical analyst. An intimidating monster school bus at the Thunder Hollow demolition derby. A 1985 Mack Super-Liner. A generic 1980s stock car and McQueen's former racing rival. McQueen's racing rival from Italy. Doc Hudson's former mechanic and crew chief. An Italian-accented forklift, who is Luigi's best friend and assistant. A 1960s style fire engine. The mean Peterbilt truck whom Lightning McQueen mistakes for Mack while lost.
 * Paul Newman as Doc Hudson (archival recordings)
 * Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen
 * Bonnie Hunt as Sally Carrera
 * Larry the Cable Guy as Tow Mater
 * Katherine Helmond as:
 * Lizzie
 * Galloping Geargrinder
 * Michael Caine as Finn McMissile
 * Emily Mortimer as Holley Shiftwell
 * Eddie Izzard as Sir Miles Axlerod
 * Armie Hammer as Jackson Storm
 * Cristela Alonzo as Cruz Ramirez
 * Tony Shalhoub as Luigi
 * Paul Dooley as Sarge
 * George Carlin as Fillmore (archival recordings)
 * Cheech Marin as Ramone
 * Jenifer Lewis as Flo
 * Thomas Kretschmann as Professor Zündapp
 * Michael Wallis as Sheriff
 * Nathan Fillion as Sterling
 * Kerry Washington as Natalie Certain
 * Lea DeLaria as Miss Fritter
 * John Ratzenberger as:
 * Mack
 * Hamm
 * Yeti
 * P.T. Flea
 * Michael Keaton as Chick Hicks
 * John Turturro as Francesco Bernoulli
 * Chris Cooper as Smokey
 * Guido Quaroni as Guido
 * Jerome Ranft as:
 * Red
 * Jerry Recycled Batteries
 * Bob Peterson as Dr. Damage / Chick Hicks Double
 * Lloyd Sherr as Tony Trihull / Fillmore Double
 * Peter Jacobson as Acer
 * Joe Mantegna as Grem
 * Jeff Garlin as Otis
 * Isiah Whitlock Jr. as River Scott
 * Margo Martindale as Louise Nash
 * Junior Johnson as Junior "Midnight" Moon
 * John Lasseter as John Lassetire
 * Gary Clark Jr. as Roy Gauge
 * ZZ Ward as Ericka Dent
 * Richard Petty as Strip "The King" Weathers
 * Dale Earnhardt Jr. as Junior #8
 * Jerry Trainor as Todd Marcus
 * Sheryl Crow as Elvis
 * Bob Costas as Bob Cutlass
 * Darrell Waltrip as Darrell Cartrip
 * Douglas Keever as Albert Hinkey ("Big Al")
 * Jim Ward as Chief Chick
 * Mike Nelson as Not Chuck
 * Sarah Clark as Kori Turbowitz
 * Humpy Wheeler as Tex Dinoco
 * Lynda Petty as Lynda Weathers (archival recordings)
 * Lindsey Collins as Mia
 * Elissa Knight as Tia
 * Brian Fee as Al Oft the Lightyear Blimp
 * Tom Magliozzi as Rusty Rust-eze (archival recordings)
 * Ray Magliozzi as Dusty Rust-eze (archival recordings)
 * Andrew Stanton as Fred
 * Jeremy Piven as Harv
 * E.J. Holowicki as DJ
 * Jonas Rivera as Boost
 * Adrian Ochoa as Wingo
 * Lou Romano as Snot Rod
 * Sonoko Konishi as Chuki
 * Jay Leno as Jay Limo
 * Arnold Schwarzenegger as Sven
 * Richard Kind as Van
 * Edie McClurg as Minny
 * Frank Welker as Frank / Tractors
 * Mario Andretti as Mario Andretti #11
 * Rodger Bumpass as Wide Chick Pitty
 * Michael Schumacher as Michael Schumacher Ferrari
 * Jason Isaacs as Siddeley / Leland Turbo
 * Sig Hansen as Crabby the Boat
 * Jeff Gordon as Jeff Gorvette
 * Lewis Hamilton as Lewis Hamilton / Hamilton
 * Daisuke "Dice" Tsutsumi as Daisu Tsashimi
 * Bruce Campbell as Rod "Torque" Redline
 * Brent Musburger as Brent Mustangburger
 * David Hobbs as David Hobbscap
 * Claudia Leitte as Carla Veloso
 * Greg Ellis as Nigel Gearsley
 * Fernando Alonso as Miguel Camino
 * Erik Passoja as Shu Todoroki
 * Sebastian Vettel as Max Schnell
 * Jan Nilsson as Raoul ÇaRoule
 * Vitaly Petrov as Rip Clutchgoneski
 * Franco Nero as Uncle Topolino
 * Vanessa Redgrave as Mama Topolino
 * Michel Michelis as Tomber
 * Teresa Gallagher as Mater's Computer
 * Stanley Townsend as Vladimir Trunkov / Ivan / Victor Hugo
 * Patrick Walker as Mel Dorado
 * Velibor Topic as Alexander Hugo
 * John Mainier as J. Curby Gremlin
 * Brad Lewis as Tubbs Pacer
 * Elizabeth II as the Queen
 * Prince William, Duke of Cambridge as Prince Wheeliam
 * Angel Oquendo as Bobby Swift
 * Kyle Petty as Cal Weathers
 * Diedrich Bader as Brick Yardley
 * Madeleine McGraw as Maddy McGear
 * Shannon Spake as Shannon Spokes
 * Darrell Wallace Jr. as Bubba Wheelhouse
 * Chase Elliott as Chase Racelott
 * Ryan Blaney as Ryan "Inside" Laney
 * Daniel Suárez as Daniel Swervez
 * Mike Joy as Mike Joyride
 * Kurt Busch as Kurt
 * Memo Rojas, Jr. as Gabriel
 * Jeremy Maxwell as Arvy Motorhome
 * Jason Pace as Faregame
 * Andra Day as Sweet Tea
 * Ray Evernham as Ray Reverham
 * Tom Hanks as Sheriff Woody Car
 * Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear Car
 * Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski Monster Truck
 * John Goodman as James P. "Sulley" Sullivan Monster Truck
 * Dave Foley as Flik Car

Development
Coming soon!

Production
Coming soon!

Post-production
Coming soon!

Casting
Much of the original cast are expected to reprise their roles from previous films.

On January 31, Gary Clark Jr. and ZZ Ward were announced to voice Roy Gauge and Ericka Dent from the Racing Sports Network media series.

Music
Randy Newman and Michael Giacchino are scheduled to compose the film's score since the first two films. Returning songs will include "Real Gone", "Life is a Highway", "Our Town", "Sh-Boom", "Route 66", "You Might Think", "Collision of Worlds", "Kings Highway", "Run That Race", "Find Yourself", and "Ride".

Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 85% based on 4 reviews and an average rating of 7.23/10. On Metacritic, the film has a score of 65 out of 100 based on 3 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".

Trivia

 * Tony Shalhoub and Cheech Marin have previously appeared as Misha and Ignacio in DreamWorks Pictures' Paulie from 1998.
 * The voice cast includes many racing drivers and personalities from all over the world.
 * Since January 2018, an alternate version of the Tokyo race from Cars 2 was released widespread on YouTube. This film will include that footage in full high-definition alongside a new score composed by Giacchino.
 * Several sound effects of reacting audiences from Wii Sports Resort are featured during the Los Angeles International Speedway, including Strip Weathers' big crash.