Cars 3 (2017): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Ending
Cars 3 is a 2017 animated comedy directed by Brian Fee, starring Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt and Nathan Fillion. It runs 1 hour 42 minutes and earned $383.9 million worldwide on a $175 million budget. It earned 2 award nominations, including Animation at the Artios Awards 2018. Critics gave it 69% on Rotten Tomatoes and 59 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.7/10.
What Is Cars 3 About?
The premise of Cars 3 without spoilers. The whole story and the ending explained are in the plot summary further down.
Facing an uncertain future in the world of racing, Lightning McQueen seeks to regain his competitive edge with the help of a promising young mechanic, Cruz Ramirez. Their journey involves discovering the legacies of racing icons, both past and present, and confronting the challenges of a rapidly changing sport. McQueen learns valuable lessons about mentorship, perseverance, and the importance of embracing new generations in the pursuit of racing glory.
Cars 3 Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- tow truck
- young versus old
- year 2017
- year 2016
- year 2015
- talking car
- named car
- photograph
- road
- singing
- memory
- forklift
+38 more Show fewer
- numbered sequel
- car crash
- car
- no opening credits
- scene after end credits
- surprise after end credits
- vehicle in title
- arrogance
- male protagonist
- victory
- post credits scene
- bar
- two word title
- anthropomorphism
- computer animation
- shared universe
- pixar
- slimehouse
- shrekcore
- stand alone sequel
- pixar's cars
- cg animation
- photography
- 3d
- 3 dimensional
- lightning mcqueen character
- a113
- car action
- motorsports sport
- racing
- racetrack
- race car
- high tech
- test
- travel
- show
- flashback
- mentor
Cars 3 Cast
Owen Wilson leads the cast, with Bonnie Hunt and Nathan Fillion. Directed by Brian Fee; 10 actors are credited in all.
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Director Brian Fee
Also Starring in Cars 3
· 6 moreCars 3 Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave Cars 3 69% on Rotten Tomatoes and 59 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.7/10. Our Echo Score gives it 60/100, strongest in sensory experience (75) and weakest in rewatch factor (45).
Cars 3 Echo Score Breakdown
Overall, Cars 3 delivers a visually polished but narratively familiar entry that leans more on nostalgia than innovation. While its return to the franchise’s core themes brings some warmth, the pacing and emotional stakes never fully resonate beyond a surface level. The film’s technical quality and heartfelt intention shine through, even as the plot feels predictable at times. This yields a moderately enjoyable experience that satisfies fans of the series without reaching Pixar’s highest standards.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 70
In terms of Art & Craft, Cars 3 benefits from a refined visual presentation and solid production design. The varied backdrops and detailed racing sequences demonstrate high technical standards, although occasional character models appear flat by comparison. Editing maintains clear race progression but seldom surprises. Overall, the film’s craft feels competent and appealing without breaking new ground in Pixar’s aesthetic legacy.
- Character & Emotion 60
When it comes to Character & Emotion, the film attempts to recapture heartfelt dynamics through McQueen’s mentorship arc. Moments of genuine warmth emerge as veteran and rookie interactions underscore themes of legacy. However, many emotional beats lack sufficient depth and the chemistry between leads never quite achieves the poignancy found in earlier entries. Ultimately, the character work remains serviceable yet restrained.
- Story & Flow 50
In terms of Story & Flow, Cars 3 presents a coherent underdog narrative with straightforward pacing. The plot follows an anticipated trajectory as McQueen faces obsolescence and mentorship challenges, but its structure relies heavily on familiar sports-movie conventions. Occasional lulls disrupt engagement, and originality is limited by predictable obstacles. Consequently, the storyline feels adequately formed yet offers few surprises.
- Sensory Experience 75
With respect to Sensory Experience, the film’s soundtrack employs an Americana-tinged score that supports the racing atmosphere without demanding attention. Sound design captures the roar of engines and race-day ambiance effectively. Visually, rich textures and dynamic race sequences showcase Pixar’s animating prowess, despite some design flatness. Overall, the sensory elements harmonize to create an engaging but not groundbreaking audio-visual presence.
- Rewatch Factor 45
Regarding Rewatch Factor, Cars 3 retains appeal for franchise enthusiasts through its nostalgic callbacks and polished presentation. Yet the predictability of its narrative and limited emotional resonance reduce incentive for multiple viewings. While its technical strengths remain enjoyable, the film lacks the lasting novelty that often drives repeat engagements. As a result, replay value is modest.
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IMDb 6.7 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 69% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 69%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 59 Metascore
User score 6.9
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 69% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 3.0 /5
1.4K ratings
See on Letterboxd -
Movie Insider 3.9 /5
See on Movie Insider
Cars 3 Plot Summary & Ending Explained
What happens in Cars 3 from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events and the ending explained. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Lightning McQueen, portrayed by Owen Wilson, finds himself racing alongside his old friends, Bobby Swift and Cal Weathers. The trio shares a deep bond, often playfully swapping victory through the races they attend. However, during one key event, a rival racer, Jackson Storm, zooms past them, leaving Lightning astonished as he watches the replay on the Jumbotron. The loud and brash announcer, Chick Hicks—who was once Lightning’s adversary—teams up with Natalie Certain, a brilliant statistician, to cover the rise of this new generation of racers. They point out Jackson’s outstanding skills, which seemingly rely on advanced technology that allows him to outperform seasoned champions.
Full summary
The whole story of Cars 3, scene by scene, with the ending explained
Cars 3 Box Office & Budget
Cars 3 grossed $383.9 million worldwide on a $175 million budget, 2.2 times what it cost. $152.9 million came from the US and Canada and $231 million (60%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$383.9M
2.2× its budget
- US & Canada
- $152.9M
- International
- $231M
- Budget
- $175M
Cars 3 Awards & Nominations
Cars 3 earned 2 award nominations, including Animation at the Artios Awards 2018. The 2 nominations come from 2 ceremonies.
2 nominations2 ceremonies
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Artios Awards 2018 1 nomination- Nominated Animation
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Annie Awards 2018 1 nomination- Nominated Best Animated Feature
Cars 3 Trailers & Videos
3 videos: 2 trailers and 1 clip.
- Trailer Cars 3 "Rivalry" Official Trailer
- Clip
How Well Do You Know Cars 3?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who provides comic relief and support to Lightning McQueen throughout the movie?
Cars in Cars 3
57 cars on screen, including the unknown and the NASCAR.
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unknown Featured role -
NASCAR Featured role -
1960 Fiat 500 Main role -
1946 Hudson Pickup Main role
Cars 3 Also Known As
39 alternative titles, including “Cars 3 สี่ล้อซิ่ง ชิงบัลลังก์แชมป์” and “카3: 새로운 도전”.
- Also known as
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- Cars 3 สี่ล้อซิ่ง ชิงบัลลังก์แชมป์
- 카3: 새로운 도전
- Cars 3 - Evolution
- Tachki 3
- 反斗車王3
- Autot 3
- Көліктер 3
- Avtomobili 3
- Maşınlar 3
- Cars: 3
- Auti 3
- カーズ3
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- 赛车总动员3
- Mașini 3
- Αυτοκίνητα 3
- Carros 3
- Verdák 3.
- Тачки 3
- מכוניות 3
- Arabalar 3
- Колите 3
- Auta 3
- Biler 3
- Аутомобили 3
- 汽車總動員3: 閃電再起
- Les bagnoles 3
- Autá 3
- Bilar 3
- สี่ล้อซิ่ง ชิงบัลลังก์แชมป์
- 카 3: 새로운 도전
- ماشینها ۳
- Vāģi 3
- カーズ/クロスロード
- Ratai 3
- Vương Quốc Xe Hơi 3
- Mashinalar 3
- 反斗車王 3
- Autod 3
- سيارات 3, მანქანები 3
Seen Cars 3?
Movies Like Cars 3
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Cars, Cars 2 and Cars on the Road.
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Cars 2006 -
Cars 2 2011 -
Cars on the Road 2022 -
Toy Story 3 2010 -
The Little Cars in the Great Race 2006 -
Rescue Squad Mater 2008 -
Despicable Me 3 2017 -
Unidentified Flying Mater 2009 -
Mater and the Ghostlight 2006 -
CarGo: The City on 4 Wheels! 2017 -
The Big Trip 3: Race Around the World 2024 -
Monster Trucks 2017
Cars 3 FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of Cars 3, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Cars 3?
Cars 3 runs 1 hour 42 minutes (102 minutes).
When was Cars 3 released?
Cars 3 was released on June 16, 2017.
Who directed Cars 3?
Cars 3 was directed by Brian Fee.
More films by Brian Fee Who is in the cast of Cars 3?
Cars 3 stars Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt and Nathan Fillion, among 10 credited actors.
How much did Cars 3 make at the box office?
Cars 3 grossed $383.9 million worldwide ($152.9 million domestic, $231 million international) on a budget of $175 million.
How is Cars 3 rated?
Cars 3 has 6.7/10 on IMDb, 69% on Rotten Tomatoes, 59 on Metacritic and 69% on TMDB.
Was Cars 3 nominated for any awards?
Cars 3 received 2 nominations across 2 ceremonies.
Does Cars 3 have a post-credit scene?
Yes. Cars 3 has an extra scene during or after the credits, so it is worth staying seated.
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