On what date was Pixar’s animated film Cars first released in the United States?

Pixar’s animated film Cars was first released in the United States on June 9, 2006.

The film was directed by John Lasseter and Joe Ranft and produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. It follows Lightning McQueen, a self-important race car who becomes stranded in the small desert town of Radiator Springs while traveling to a championship race.

Cars premiered at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on May 26, 2006, before its wider United States release in June. The date is sometimes confused with the film’s international rollout, which occurred at different times during 2006.

Cars became Pixar’s seventh feature film and was followed by Cars 2 in 2011 and Cars 3 in 2017. Its release also launched a major merchandising franchise built around Lightning McQueen, Mater, Sally, and other characters.