National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Cars 2 was released by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios in June 2011, the studio's twelfth feature film and the first Pixar sequel to a property other than Toy Story. Directed by John Lasseter, it marked a bold departure from the original Cars, transplanting its characters into a globe-spanning spy thriller. The film remains a notable artifact of Pixar's early 2010s output and its ongoing exploration of franchise storytelling.

This cell, titled Tow Mater, captures the beloved rusty tow truck across three consecutive frames during what appears to be a high-energy action sequence. Mater is seen airborne against an open blue sky, surrounded by scattered debris, the frames together preserving a single kinetic moment from his unlikely turn as an international man of mystery.