Pixar’s Cars was first released in theaters in 2006.
The film premiered at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on May 26, 2006, before its wider theatrical release in the United States on June 9, 2006. It was directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Joe Ranft.
Cars was Pixar’s seventh feature film and followed The Incredibles, which had been released in 2004. Its story centers on Lightning McQueen, a rookie race car who becomes stranded in the small town of Radiator Springs while traveling to the final race of the Piston Cup season.
The year can be confused with the release dates of later films in the series. Cars 2 arrived in 2011, while Cars 3 followed in 2017. Cars also became Pixar’s first film to receive a theatrical sequel, although the studio later expanded the property through television specials and series.