It's been a while since Pixar fans last found themselves in the Cars world, but when Lightning McQueen and the gang return this summer, things are going to be a lot different. Last month, the first look at Cars 3 was released, and it was surprisingly darker than what most people expected. Today's new trailer provides more context about what will go down in the threequel, along with teasing some of the new thrills that will be zooming across the big screen.
The newest Cars 3 preview, officially titled as an "extended sneak peek" begins the same way as last month's preview did: with Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) crashing in the middle of a race. From there, things pick up on a slightly more hopeful note, as despite this setback, Lightning will not retire until he says it's time. However, racing nowadays is more complicated, as many new cars, like Jackson Storm (voiced by Armie Hammer) are being enhanced with new technology. Lightning won't be able to beat his new rival with speed alone, but with smarts, he may stand a chance.
When Lightning McQueen raced onto the scene in 2006's Cars, he was a rookie trying to make a name for himself. 11 years later (at least from our perspective), now the tables have turned, as he's now the "older model" and is being outpaced by newer cars thanks to special upgrades. Jackson Storm will be Lightning's primary nemesis in Cars 3, as he sees the main protagonist and the other old guys as having no place in the future of racing.
Fortunately, Lightning McQueen won't be alone in his mission to keep his racing career alive. Along with the return of old favorites like Mater (voiced by Larry the Cable Guy) and Sally Carrera (voiced by Bonnie Hunt), Cars 3 will also introduce the optimistic Cruz Ramirez (voiced by Cristela Alonzo). She's the one telling Lightning in the trailer that he needs her help. We see her putting Lightning through the ringer in what looks like the Cars version of a Rocky III training session, which includes driving past spurting flame columns. That's crazy! Eventually Lightning will be ready to take on Jackson in a re-match, and with a new paint job to boot. While the Cars movies haven't been the most critical well-received of Pixar's offerings, they definitely have established quite a fanbase over the last decade, and Cars 3 looks like it could be the most exciting entry yet.
Cars 3 races into theaters on June 16. Let us know what you thought of the new trailer in the comments below.
