The animated sports comedy franchise Cars is one of Pixar’s most popular vehicles (pun intended). Such was the success and popularity of the opening installment in 2006 that the franchise has spawned two more movies, a couple of television series, several short films, the Planes spin-off movie franchise, and a plethora of merchandise, including video games and toys.
A fourth entry has long been touted but is yet to happen. The third movie hit theaters worldwide in 2017 and just before its release, producer Kevin Reher told Cinema Blend not to rule another film out. When asked about the possibility of a fourth movie, he had this to say:
I don’t know, there might be. If there’s a good story to tell. I mean our heads kinda break after having gotten this one done, like oh my god what could you do the further adventures of? But like any sequel, from Toy Story 4 to Incredibles 2, as long as there’s a good story to tell it’s worth investing, we do love these characters, we love them as much as the public does.
Owen Wilson, the voice of Cars’ protagonist Lightning McQueen, has also spoken about the possibility of a fourth film. In 2017, he also sat down with Cinema Blend and said this to them:
Well, I kind of trust Pixar to kind of come up with the stories because they have such a great track record with doing these movies that work for kids and also that grown-ups and parents find entertaining. I would imagine that if they do do another one, it’ll be something pretty cool. But yeah maybe like Lightning McQueen in sort of like a thriller. Maybe that could be something.
Perhaps most importantly, however, is that director Brian Fee has explicitly stated that Cars 3 wasn’t the end for Lightning McQueen. In 2017, he said this to Entertainment Weekly:
Where the franchise goes from here, I have no idea what may be down the road, but I can tell you that for Lightning McQueen, as a character, I think by the end of the movie it’s safe to say that this is only the beginning for him.
Of course, that was seven years ago, so it might look like the franchise is dead in the water. But is that the case?
What’s the state of play with ‘Cars 4’ right now?
Cars 4 isn’t confirmed as things stand, but there’s every chance Pixar will revisit the franchise in the future, based on previous comments from influential people who’ve worked on it.
The animation studio’s current upcoming slate of movies takes us to 2026, with Inside Out 2 (2024), Elio (2025), and Toy Story 5 (2026) all confirmed. However, an untitled project is also scheduled for 2026, which could easily be a Cars sequel.
The three previous films have generated a whopping $1.4 billion worldwide, and the two Planes movies have earned a further $390 million, so there’s undoubtedly a market for more.
While no plot details have emerged and no cast information is available, Brian Fee will likely return to direct, and Owen Wilson won’t need much convincing to reprise his role as Lightning McQueen.
A more recent comment from a prominent cast member, Larry the Cable Guy, who played the beloved tow truck Mater, came in 2020. He believes a fourth movie could and should happen. Speaking to Popculture, he said this:
That was a fun thing to do. Obviously it’s one of the only Pixar movies. It’s got its own theme park. I just feel that they probably know that they’ve got this Disney thing up and going. You would think if you put in a billion-dollar theme park, you probably got to keep putting fuel in the tank. You would think. So I don’t know.
Whether or not a fourth Cars movie happens is open to debate. It’s not scheduled, but the signs are good, and it’s nice to see people who worked on the previous films keen on doing another. Fans of the franchise will have to be patient and wait to see what happens.