On June 9, 2026 the Pixar‑Disney film Cars officially hit its 20th anniversary, marking two decades since the animated racer first hit theaters. The movie follows Lightning McQueen’s misadventure in Radiator Springs and features a voice cast that includes Formula 1 icons Michael Schumacher and Mario Andretti, as well as NASCAR legends Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Darrell Waltrip.
Critically, Cars sits near the bottom of Pixar’s catalog, holding a 74 % score on Rotten Tomatoes—27th of 30 films—while audience sentiment is slightly higher at 80 % on the Popcornometer. The film’s charm still resonates with fans; in 2024 F1 driver Liam Lawson revealed he had watched the movie “hundreds” of times as a child. The Race’s own journalists named it their favorite motorsport movie, praising its straightforward storytelling and uplifting message about slowing down.
Commercially, Cars has become one of Disney’s most lucrative franchises. The Los Angeles Times reported $10 billion in merchandise revenue within five years of the 2006 release, and a lifetime estimate of $21.5 billion—about $19.1 billion from merch alone—places it seventh among Disney properties, outpacing even the Toy Story series. The enduring sales suggest the film’s appeal endures well beyond its critical reception.
