Disney and Pixar have unleashed the first teaser trailer for Cars 3 today, giving us a fleeting glimpse of the upcoming threequel, which intends on continuing the adventures of Lightning McQueen.
Admittedly, there’s next to nothing shown here, but from what we do see, it appears that the film has adopted some gorgeous visuals and a bit of a darker tone. Whether those will carry through into the final product remains to be seen, but for now, color us intrigued.
For more on what to expect, here’s the official plot summary:
Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast racers, the legendary Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) is suddenly pushed out of the sport he loves. To get back in the game, he will need the help of an eager young race technician, Cruz Ramirez, with her own plan to win, plus inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet and a few unexpected turns. Proving that #95 isn’t through yet will test the heart of a champion on Piston Cup Racing’s biggest stage!
Given that Cars hasn’t exactly been the most successful franchise for Pixar, it’s no surprise that they’re trying to switch things up here with a more mature feel. The last film, Cars 2, is considered by many to be one of their worst efforts ever, and I can’t say that too many people even wanted a third outing. However, after watching this brief teaser, that may change.
The only thing that strikes me as odd is that, at least right now, it doesn’t exactly look like Cars 3 is being aimed at children. This trailer is pretty dramatic and does away with the light, colorful and playful vibes from the studio’s other movies. Perhaps that’s the point though, as right near the end we see the following message: “From this moment, everything will change.” Maybe Pixar really is going in a drastically different direction here, and if that’s the case, then good for them for trying something new.
Cars 3 will race into theatres on June 16th, 2017 and marks the feature film debut of animator and storyboard artist Brian Fee.