Pixar’s third feature film about Lightning McQueen, released in 2017, is titled Cars 3.
The film follows Lightning as a new generation of technologically advanced racers begins to dominate the Piston Cup. Jackson Storm, a sleek next-generation competitor, becomes the major threat to Lightning’s place in the sport.
Lightning trains with Cruz Ramirez at the Rust-eze Racing Center, but the story gradually shifts toward questions about legacy, mentorship, and passing knowledge to another racer. Cruz becomes increasingly important as the film progresses.
Cars 3 was directed by Brian Fee in his feature directorial debut. It was released in the United States on June 16, 2017, six years after Cars 2 and eleven years after the original Cars.