Cars Re-Release North America Box Office: Pixar Classic Roars Back, Eyes Biggest Disney Animation Reissue Debut Post-COVID

Nostalgia fuels the success of the Cars Box Office re-release. Learn how Pixar's classic is performing in North America now.

- September 6, 2026 | 4:46 PM IST

Cars Re-Release North America Box Office: Pixar’s Old-School Magic Strikes Again With Strong Friday! (Photo Credit: Prime Video)

Pixar’s Cars, directed by John Lasseter, turned 20 this year, and to celebrate, the animated feature was re-released in theaters in North America. The movie has opened with strong numbers despite being two decades old, clearly showing that nostalgia plays an important factor in such re-releases. It might even occupy the #3 spot in the box office rankings in North America. Keep scrolling for the deets.

The movie was originally released in 2006, featuring an ensemble voice cast including Paul Newman and Owen Wilson alongside Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, Michael Wallis, George Carlin, Paul Dooley, Jenifer Lewis, Guido Quaroni, Michael Keaton, Katherine Helmond, John Ratzenberger, and Richard Petty. It gave rise to a successful franchise, including two sequels and two spin-off films as well.

Cars’ re-release opening day gross at the North American box office

According to Box Office Mojo‘s data, Cars re-opened at #4 in the North American box office rankings. The film collected a strong $2.2 million on Friday, the re-opening day at the box office in North America. It is a spectacular opening day gross for a two-decade-old animated feature.

Cars’ re-release opening weekend projection in North America

According to media reports, Cars is tracking to earn between $6 million and $8 million at the box office in North America. If the film lands within this range, then it will record the biggest re-release debut weekend for any animation distributed by Disney in the post-COVID era at the North American box office.

More about the movie

The 2006 family movie has a chance of surpassing the $250 million mark at the domestic box office owing to its re-release. Its current domestic total stands at $246.3 million in cume, including the re-release opening-day collection in North America.

The film follows Lightning McQueen, a hotshot race car, who gets stranded in the forgotten town of Radiator Springs while traveling to California for the Piston Cup Championship, where he unexpectedly forms friendships with the town’s quirky residents and discovers that winning the race is no longer his top priority. Cars was re-released in North America on September 4.