Mater becomes an international spy in Pixar’s Cars 2, released in 2011.
The story begins with Mater accompanying Lightning McQueen on the World Grand Prix tour. After being mistaken for an American agent, Mater is drawn into an espionage plot involving British spy Finn McMissile and spy-in-training Holley Shiftwell. His unpolished manners and accidental behavior become useful rather than embarrassing.
Mater’s role makes Cars 2 different from the first Cars film. Lightning remains important, but the sequel is structured as a globe-spanning spy adventure centered on Mater. The film visits locations such as Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London, giving the Cars world a broader international setting.
Larry the Cable Guy voices Mater in the English-language film. Finn McMissile is voiced by Michael Caine, while Holley Shiftwell is voiced by Emily Mortimer. Cars 2 was directed by John Lasseter and Brad Lewis and was Pixar’s twelfth feature film.