Already, Cars 3 is sounding more on the level with Pixar’s better movies and less similar to the Mater-centered globe-trotting romp that was Cars 2.
Moreover, both Cars and Cars 2 were quite successful at the worldwide box office (they grossed $462 million and $560 million, respectively), which accounts for Disney/Pixar’s decision to move ahead with Cars 3.
Whereas Disney/Pixar’s 2006 animated film Cars is generally considered something of a minor entry in the animation studio’s larger filmography, most filmgoers seem to agree that the sequel Cars 2 is Pixar’s weakest movie released to date.
Pixar’s own Chief Creative Officer John Lasseter has defended the Cars sequel in the past, nonetheless, while other moviegoers have argued that Cars 2 isn’t necessarily a bad film in the grand scheme of kid-friendly entertainment; it’s just not up to Pixar’s usual quality standard.