The Pixar film Cars introduced Mater before the Cars movies continued his story.
Mater first appears in Cars, released in 2006, as the rusty tow truck living in Radiator Springs. He befriends Lightning McQueen after McQueen is forced to stay in town and repair the damage he caused. Mater’s humor, loyalty, and enthusiasm quickly make him one of the franchise’s central characters.
He returns in Cars 2, where his accidental involvement in an international spy operation makes him a major protagonist. In Cars 3, he remains part of McQueen’s Radiator Springs community while the story focuses more heavily on McQueen, Cruz Ramirez, and Jackson Storm.
Larry the Cable Guy voices Mater in the English-language films. Mater’s name is a pun on “tomato,” reflecting his rusty appearance and folksy personality, though the character is specifically a tow truck.