Pixar’s Cars has crossed the $250 million mark at the domestic box office, with its 20th-anniversary rerelease helping the animated film reach the milestone. The 2006 movie, which originally earned $244.1 million in the U.S. and Canada, returned to theaters in September 2026. Box Office Mojo currently lists its lifetime domestic total at $252.1 million, including the anniversary engagement.
The release has given Cars a new theatrical chapter nearly two decades after its original run. According to Filmofilia, the film’s anniversary return was estimated to add $6.1 million over the September 4–6 weekend, bringing its domestic total to $250.2 million at that stage. The final figure has since moved higher as additional box office results were recorded.
Lightning McQueen’s Original Journey Still Draws Audiences
Released in 2006, Cars follows Lightning McQueen, a talented rookie race car whose ambition to win the Piston Cup is interrupted when he becomes stranded in Radiator Springs. The small town introduces him to characters including Doc Hudson, Sally Carrera, and Mater, who help him understand that success is about more than trophies and fame.
The film was directed by John Lasseter and Joe Ranft, with a voice cast led by Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Paul Newman, and Larry the Cable Guy.
Its story combined racing action with a coming-of-age narrative, making it one of Pixar’s most recognizable family films.
How the Anniversary Rerelease Changed the Numbers
The original domestic release of Cars finished with approximately $244.1 million, while its worldwide theatrical total reached nearly $462 million. The new rerelease has added to that domestic figure, allowing the film to pass a round-number milestone that it did not reach during its initial 2006 run.
The film’s return also highlights the continuing value of established animated properties. Unlike a new release, a rerelease depends on audiences choosing to revisit a familiar story or discover it for the first time.
In the case of Cars, the anniversary engagement gave families an opportunity to see the film on the big screen again while introducing a new generation to Lightning McQueen’s original adventure.
