Which Pixar co-director of Cars died before the film’s 2006 release?

Joe Ranft was the Pixar co-director of Cars who died before the film’s 2006 release.

Ranft co-directed Cars with John Lasseter and served as one of the film’s writers. He died in a car accident on August 16, 2005, while Cars was still in production. The film was released on June 9, 2006, and was dedicated to his memory. Ranft also voiced several characters, including Red and Peterbilt in Cars.

Before becoming a major creative figure at Pixar, Ranft worked as an animator and story artist at Disney. He joined Pixar during the production of Toy Story and became known for shaping story structure and character development. His credits included A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2, and Monsters, Inc.

Ranft’s influence can be seen throughout Pixar’s early films, especially in their emphasis on emotionally grounded storytelling. His death is sometimes confused with the later passing of other Pixar collaborators, but the Cars dedication specifically honors Ranft.