Cars 2 in theaters June 24th!

Vroom, vroom! I was invited to the Cars 2 Long Lead Press Day at Pixar Animation Studios in Emeryville, CA last month, and I couldn’t have been more excited! I was happy for several reasons – first and foremost to learn about Cars 2! I was also thrilled to visit Pixar Studios. Event though I live pretty close, I have never been there. And…are you ready for this? I would be at the roundtable interview with Larry the Cable Guy. I love him!

But before I tell you about the day, I want to show you what I saw in the Pixar lobby.  I was like  a kid in a make believe place – I pretty much stood in one spot and just turned in circles, soaking in the sights.

It was a wonderful day at Pixar, and I learned so much.  We spoke with several different “voices” from the movie, including Larry the Cable Guy and Emily Mortimer (both were incredibly friendly).  We also spoke to the director, John Lasseter.  What a neat guy. He has such a passion for all he does.  One especially fun part of the day was learning about how they design the cars, modeled after real cars.  It’s not as easy as  you might think, and I was stunned to see how much work goes into each car, and how they have to fine tune each and every detail.

I was also amazed at how much research went into Cars 2.  The team traveled to Europe even, to make sure everything was absolutely perfect. I had a blast learning about this, and their adventures.

Of course we got to see the film clip…and wow. That is all I can say. The original Cars movie was really good, but I think this one is going to blow your socks off.  We only got to see a little bit of it, but I desperately wanted to see the whole thing.  Mater is his usual lovable self, and it’s easy to fall in love with him all over again 🙂 The special effects are unbelievable – you will not be disappointed!

Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) take their friendship to exciting new places in “Cars 2” when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world’s fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Mater finds himself torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret mission orchestrated by master British super spy Finn McMissile (voice of Michael Caine) and the stunning rookie field spy Holley Shiftwell (voice of Emily Mortimer). Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. The fast-paced fun includes a colorful new all-car cast, complete with menacing villains and international racing competitors.

John Lasseter returns to the driver’s seat to direct this follow-up to his 2006 Golden Globe®-winning “Cars.” “Cars 2” is co-directed by Brad Lewis, producer of the Oscar®-winning film “Ratatouille,” and produced by visual effects industry veteran Denise Ream (associate producer, “Up”; visual effects executive producer, “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith”). The film hits the track on June 24, 2011, and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D™ and IMAX® 3D in select theaters.

I was really sad when this day came to an end.  I enjoyed myself thoroughly (even the yummy lunch they provided).  I think I want to work at Pixar when I grow up 🙂  It definitely feels like family there.

Fun facts:
• John Lasseter made his feature film directing debut with “Toy Story” in 1995. He has since directed such Disney•Pixar classics as “A Bug’s Life,” “Toy Story 2” and “Cars” and served as executive producer of all other Pixar films to date. He is currently the chief creative officer of Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios and principal creative advisor of Walt Disney Imagineering.
• “Cars 2” is the 12th feature-length animated film from Pixar Animation Studios (its first 11 have earned $6.5 billion at the global box office). Pixar, which has earned 29 Academy Awards® and seven Golden Globes®, celebrates its 25th Anniversary in 2011.
• “Cars” originally released on June 9, 2006, and grossed nearly $462 million worldwide. It was nominated for two Oscars® and one Golden Globe®, winning the first ever Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film.
When star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix, Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage.

Genre: Animation/Comedy/Adventure
Rating: TBD
U.S. Release Date: June 24, 2011
Voice Talent: Owen Wilson, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Bonnie Hunt,
Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, Jason Isaacs, Joe Mantegna, Peter Jacobson, Thomas Kretschmann, Guido Quaroni, Lloyd Sherr, Paul Dooley, John Ratzenberger, Jenifer Lewis, Michael Wallis, Katherine Helmond, John Turturro, Franco Nero, Vanessa Redgrave, Eddie Izzard, Bruce Campbell, Michel Michelis, Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip, Lewis Hamilton, David Hobbs
Director: John Lasseter
Co-Director: Brad Lewis
Producer: Denise Ream
Story By: John Lasseter, Brad Lewis and Dan Fogelman
Screenplay By: Ben Queen
Composer: Michael Giacchino

CARS 2 races into theatres everywhere in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D on June 24th!

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