National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Pixar Animation Studios released Cars 2 in June 2011, marking the studio's first direct sequel and its most globally ambitious production to date. Set against an international racing circuit spanning Tokyo, London, and the Italian Riviera, the film leaned into the spy-thriller genre while retaining the franchise's signature automotive world-building. Though it received a more divided critical reception than its predecessor, Cars 2 remains a visually inventive chapter in Pixar's catalog, notable for its richly detailed environments and its bold departure from Radiator Springs.

This three-frame sequential cell, titled Lightning McQueen Racing, captures a continuous moment from the film's vibrant racing world. The frames present red and yellow animated cars set against a backdrop of colorful signage and the bright commercial energy of the pit lane environment. Held together across three sequential exposures, the cell offers a sense of motion and continuity rarely preserved in a single mounted piece, making it a compelling artifact from one of Pixar's most visually saturated productions.