Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Cars 2 arrived from Pixar and Walt Disney Pictures in the summer of 2011, a sequel that pushed the studio's flagship franchise into globe-trotting spy territory. Where the original leaned on small-town nostalgia, this installment embraced international intrigue, introducing a wider world of espionage and gadgetry to the Radiator Springs universe. It marked a shift in tone for the series and remains a notable entry in Pixar's catalog for its scale and its expansion of the Cars mythology into new genres.
This cell brings together Tow Mater, Finn McMissile, and Holley Shiftwell, the trio at the center of the film's spy-thriller plot. Mater's accidental recruitment into international espionage, paired with the seasoned Finn and the sharp, capable Holley, forms the emotional and comedic backbone of the story. Collectors prize this pairing because it captures the unlikely alliance that drives the narrative forward, a meeting point between small-town charm and secret-agent sophistication that defines the film's core appeal.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm theatrical release print of Cars 2 (2011).
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame visible on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced; punched edges appear clean with no torn or deformed holes visible.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible along one edge, alongside what appears to be a Dolby Digital data-block strip in the inter-perforation zone on the same edge.
Edge print
Not visible in this capture at sufficient resolution to read any key numbers or manufacturer text.
Base & colour
Base appears with a slight blue-cyan tint consistent with a modern polyester stock; dye image reads as neutral with no visible red shift or fading.
Projection history
Light vertical scratching is visible across the frame area, consistent with a print that has been projected.
Picture
Positive colour image; the three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot and the animated content is consistent with Cars 2 (2011).
Era check
The combination of polyester base, Dolby Digital data blocks between perforations, and variable-area optical track is consistent with a theatrical release print from the 2011 era.
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
CROWN SERIAL 000063518
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
