GIven its huge profits -- it pulled in $8 billion in merchandising sales alone. -- it's no surprise that "Cars" would return for a second go round. After all, a combination of animation and cars is a toy maker's dream. And Disney has made a lot of toys from this franchise.
But it wasn't just cash that brought the computer animation studio back to the world of Lightning McQueen and Mater -- truth be told, they had a burning story to tell.
"I love spy movies," Pixar chief and director John Lasseter said in a story provided to the press, "and I thought it would be so much fun to see what a spy movie would look like in the car world. We came up with this character named Finn McMissile, who was going to be starring in this little movie-within-a-movie."
Of course, the first film followed Lightning and Mater on Route 66, but five years later, Lasseter got his spy film. And while the car, voiced by Michael Caine, is British, the film takes them all over the world. For real: the posters and gorgeous artwork for the film tell the story of a worldwide adventure. Check out all the released international posters and a ton of new action shots, a pure treasure trove of material, and then read the synopsis below.
PHOTOS:
'Cars 2' International Posters!
Synopsis:
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.