Credit: PixarThis year, Pixar Animation Studios will celebrate thirty years of movie-making magic. It was on November 22, 1995, when Disney and Pixar changed the film industry with the release of Toy Story, the first feature-length film created entirely from computer animation. Toy Story was just the beginning for the studio, which has now made some of the most iconic computer-animated films in history.
Over the past 30 years, fans have flocked to theaters to enjoy a plethora of Pixar films, including Finding Nemo (2003), Up (2009), Inside Out (2015), Coco (2017), Incredibles 2 (2018), and Inside Out 2 (2024. In fact, audiences loved Inside Out 2 so much that it is the most successful Pixar film of all time.
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In 2006, Disney released the first film in its successful Cars franchise. Cars starred Owen Wilson as the voice of Lightning McQueen, a professional racecar who gets lost in the desert on his way to a tiebreaker race in the Piston Cup. Lightning ends up in Radiator Springs, a small town off the famous Route 66, but has sadly been forgotten about since a new Interstate was built.
Lightning accidentally wrecks the road in Radiator Springs, and he is sentenced to fix it. While there, he meets Mater — a tow truck who would become his best friend — and Sally, a shiny sports car whom he quickly develops feelings for.
Lightning also discovers that Radiator Springs is the home of Doc Hudson. Doc used to be a racecar called The Hudson Hornet, but his career ended after a devastating crash.
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As Lightning fixes the road in the town, he realizes that the residents of Radiator Springs are so much more than he thought they were. In a short time, Radiator Springs quickly begins to feel like home, and Lightning becomes determined to revitalize a town that truly deserves it.
Cars was a huge hit with audiences, and a sequel film was released in 2011. Six years after that, Cars 3 premiered in theaters. While Cars 2 made more money than the original film, neither the second nor the third film in the franchise were as beloved as the original film.
However, that does not mean that fans don’t still love Radiator Springs and the cars that live there.
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And now, nearly ten years after the release of Cars 3, Disney has announced that a new Cars series is in the works!
According to a report from Variety, the new series with be called Cars: Lightning Racers, and it will premiere on both Disney Junior and Disney+ in 2027.
Among the new series: “Cars: Lightning Racers,” set in the world of the Disney/Pixar film franchise, will feature Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy reprising their roles as Lightning McQueen and Mater.
Besides Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy, the cast includes Tony Shalhoub as Luigi, Cheech Marin as Ramone, Bob Peterson as Chick Hicks and John Ratzenberger as Mack. Leah Lewis (“Elemental”) and Yuri Lowenthal (“Marvel Rivals” video game) join the cast as Pipes and Miles, respectively. Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Abbott Elementary”) has also signed on as a new character, Ms. Blinker.
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Ayo Davis, the president of Disney Branded Television, released a statement, voicing her excitement for the new series and her hope that it will inspire a new generation of Disney and Pixar lovers.
“Our shows are often a child’s very first connection to the world of Disney, sparking the songs they sing, the characters they adore, and the adventures they want to live again and again. Today’s announcements build on that leadership, expanding the worlds kids already love and introducing new multiplatform stories that will capture the hearts of the next generation.”
Disney also released a small description for the show, confirming that Mater will play a big part, along with some new faces.
“Building on Disney and Pixar’s beloved ‘Cars’ franchise, ‘Cars: Lightning Racers’ follows Lightning McQueen as he gears up for all-new adventures in Radiator Springs alongside his hilarious best friend Mater and new friends thrill-seeking drag car Pipes and mud-loving monster truck Miles.”
In addition to the new Cars series, Disney also announced that a new Marvel show called Marvel’s Avengers: Mightiest Friends. Like Cars: Lightning Racers, the new Marvel series will also premiere on both Disney Junior and Disney+ in 2027.
Inside the Magic will keep readers updated as we learn more about this exciting new series from Disney and Pixar!
Are you excited to hear that a new Cars series is on the way? Do you think Disney should do more with the beloved franchise? Which Pixar film do you think deserves its own series? Let us know all your thoughts on Cars, Pixar, and the new series with us in the comments!