Cars 3 is under a significant amount of pressure – not unlike the pressure that Lightning McQueen has to manage in the third entry of the franchise. The story of the film revolves around McQueen coming to terms with being the “old guy on the block,” with newer and flashier cars driving up the circuit. The film is back for a second sequel, which means the creative team has an even tougher challenge in giving audiences a Cars story we haven’t seen before. The team at Pixar seems to be up for the challenge. Watch new footage from the film, which shares more of the story, after the break!
The film is being directed by Brian Fee, a first-time director at the studio. The franchise is the baby of John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer of Pixar. Lasseter, who directed the previous two entries, must have felt comfortable handing over the reigns to Fee. After all, Lasseter took over directing Cars 2 while he was running both Disney Animation and Pixar, so he clearly feels strongly for his characters. Still, Lasseter is a part of the Brain Trust that Fee has to work with during the production process and story development. Both Fee and Lasseter continue to emphasize the “humanity” in Cars 3‘s story, an interesting descriptor given the previous complaints of some that the cars characters have not been as relatable as some of the iconic characters in other Pixar films.
Whether the film will ultimately impress viewers is currently besides the point, as the advertising campaign has to whip up interest to get those viewers into theaters. That campaign is well underway, with Pixar having a presence at the Detroit Auto Show the next two weeks and a new video previewing the film. Although the “extended sneak peek” released today during the college national football championship game is heavy on the action, there are some glimpses at what will make up the heart of the story. Watch the 1:30 video below:
Cars 3 arrives in theaters on June 16th.
