An upcoming Cars TV show produced by Pixar is announced, with the story said to be a road trip for lead characters Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater. Both characters were introduced in the 2006 animated Pixar movie Cars, with Owen Wilson's flashy race car Lightning McQueen befriending the more light-hearted tow truck named Mater (Larry the Cable Guy). The duo appeared in both sequels to Cars, 2011's Cars 2 and 2017's Cars 3, as well as the short film Mater and the Ghostlight and the TV show Cars Toons.
Although the Cars movie trilogy largely focused on Lightning McQueen, Mater has been a key figure in his storyline. Plus, the sometimes goofy character has become a fan-favorite and is as associated with the Pixar films as McQueen. Lightning McQueen and Mater were last seen ending on a high note, with Mater matured and McQueen taking a new racer under his wing. Now, a new TV show will continue their adventures.
At the Disney Investor Day 2020 presentation, Pixar Chief Creative Officer Pete Docter revealed a new Cars TV show is in development following Lightning McQueen and Mater. The series will follow the two characters "on a road trip across the country," during which they'll meet "new characters, old friends" and visit "imaginative destinations." The show will debut on Disney+ in Fall 2022.
Within the streaming service's first year, Disney+ surpassed 73 million subscribers, with the most recent total being 86.8 million subscribers. The desire to entice even more subscribes is a reason as to why the Disney studios are creating a lot of movies and TV shows based around their classic entities for Disney+. This direct approach to streaming content came as a surprise to fans of the Cars series, with rumors of a fourth Cars film were quickly nixed. While the franchise is indeed wider than just the film trilogy, with the spinoff Planes and Cars Toons series, the prospect of a new road trip, coming a few years after Cars 3 is a refreshing one, as it indicates the franchise has taken some time to not rush another story. Pixar's latest feature effort, Soul, has been the recipient of rave reviews ahead of its Christmas release, proving that the studio can still deliver quality storytelling some 34 years into their existence. Apply that to a road trip show with endless chance for exploration mixed with familiar and new characters, this upcoming Cars show could potentially be one of the most exciting Disney+ titles to date.
The upcoming Disney+ Cars TV Show has a lot of potential to live up to. It's been a while since McQueen and his friends were seen on screen, meaning that a return for the series in any capacity is exciting. But to know this is set to be a freewheeling, adventurous road trip can't help but set the mind wondering what the possibilities and stories this Easy Rider meets Cars series will tell. Viewers will find out when the Cars TV show debuts on Disney+ in Fall 2022.
Source: Disney