Ka-Chow! Pixar’s ‘Cars’ Races Back Into Theaters for Its 20th Anniversary

Shawn Williams

Published

August 24, 2026

Start your engines because Lightning McQueen is racing back to where his journey began—the big screen.

Disney and Pixar’s Cars will return to theaters nationwide beginning September 4, 2026, as the studio continues celebrating the animated favorite’s 20th anniversary. Tickets for the limited theatrical re-release are officially on sale now.

The timing could not be more perfect. The return takes place one day before Lightning McQueen Day on September 5—a date chosen in honor of the legendary red racer’s iconic number, 95.

Life Is a Highway—and It Leads Back to Theaters

Originally released in 2006, Cars introduced audiences to Lightning McQueen, a hotshot rookie race car determined to reach the finish line faster than everyone else.

However, an unexpected detour leaves him stranded in the small Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. There, Lightning meets Mater, Sally, Doc Hudson and the rest of the town’s unforgettable residents. What begins as an inconvenient pit stop ultimately teaches him that trophies and fame are not nearly as important as friendship, community and enjoying the journey.

Yes, it has somehow been 20 years since we first heard Owen Wilson shout “Ka-chow!”—and we are choosing not to think too hard about what that says about our age.

The movie also features the voices of Paul Newman as Doc Hudson, Larry the Cable Guy as Mater and Bonnie Hunt as Sally. John Lasseter directed the film, with Darla K. Anderson producing and Randy Newman providing its Academy Award-winning musical score.

Lightning McQueen Is Going Worldwide

The theatrical re-release is only one part of Pixar’s massive yearlong anniversary celebration.

Lightning McQueen and the Cars franchise have already sped into NASCAR’s Daytona 500, the Goodwood Festival of Speed and automotive museums around the world. A special Porsche inspired by Sally has also toured cities across the United States, including Atlanta, Costa Mesa, Monterey, Los Angeles and New York.

The celebration will shift into an even higher gear this September when a life-size Lightning McQueen and a Cars-wrapped Mercedes safety car appear at the Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix in Monza.

Fans can also find Cars anniversary experiences connected to the centennial celebration of Route 66, the Mundo Pixar Experience, Disney Speedstorm, Emoji Blitz, LEGO DUPLO and Disney Magic Kingdoms.

Disney is even teaming up with General Motors on limited-edition artwork and a special presence at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.

Twenty years later, Lightning McQueen clearly has no intention of slowing down.

Radiator Springs Deserves the Big Screen

There is something special about experiencing the original Cars inside a theater again. The sweeping landscapes, roaring engines, Randy Newman’s music and neon-lit beauty of Radiator Springs were made for the biggest screen possible.

For longtime fans, this is a chance to revisit one of Pixar’s most beloved worlds with a theater full of people who still know every word to “Life Is a Highway.” For younger fans, it may be their first opportunity to experience Lightning McQueen’s original adventure in theaters.

Whether you have been following the Piston Cup since 2006 or recently discovered the franchise, it is time to grab the family, buckle up and head back to Radiator Springs.