You can skip 6 of the 10 titles in the Cars franchise and still follow the main story: Mater and the Ghostlight, Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales, Tales from Radiator Springs, Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool, Planes, and Planes: Fire & Rescue. The essentials (4 titles) take about 7 hours instead of 18 hours.
- Skippable
- 6
- Essentials
- 4
- Time saved
- 11 hours
Safe to skip
- Mater and the Ghostlight2006 · Film · 7m · optionalA short from the Cars DVD: the town turns Mater's pranks back on him with a fake ghost light.
- Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales2008 · Series · 35m · optionalEleven shorts where Mater tells Lightning wild stories about his past, and insists Lightning was there.
- Tales from Radiator Springs2013 · Series · 7h 30m · optionalFour comic shorts about everyday life in Radiator Springs.
- Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool2017 · Film · 3m · optionalA short infomercial for Miss Fritter's demolition derby school, from the Cars 3 home release.
- Planes2013 · Film · 1h 31m · optionalA spin-off set in the Cars world: a crop duster afraid of heights enters a round-the-world race.
- Planes: Fire & Rescue2014 · Film · 1h 23m · optionalDusty Crophopper retrains as a firefighting plane at Piston Peak National Park.
Why each one is optional
What each skippable title is, what it adds if you do watch it, and who is in it.
No. 01 · 2006 · Film · 7m · optional
Mater and the Ghostlight
Mater, the rusty but trusty tow truck from Cars, spends a day in Radiator Springs playing scary pranks on his fellow townsfolk. That night at Flo's V8 Café, the Sheriff tells the story of the legend of the Ghostlight, and as everyone races home Mater is left alone primed for a good old-fashioned scare.
Why it matters: A short from the Cars DVD: the town turns Mater's pranks back on him with a fake ghost light.
- Starring
- Larry the Cable Guy, Owen Wilson, and Bonnie Hunt
- Director
- John Lasseter
- Scores
- IMDb 6.6
No. 02 · 2008 · Series · 35m · optional
Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales
Mater the tow truck travels from country to country as he retells his infamous but unbelievable stories.
Why it matters: Eleven shorts where Mater tells Lightning wild stories about his past, and insists Lightning was there.
- Starring
- Larry the Cable Guy, Keith Ferguson, and John Cygan
- Creator
- Scott Morse, John Lasseter, Kevin O'Brien, Bobby Rubio, Bobby Podesta, Matthew Luhn, Justin Wright, Jim Capobianco, Daniel Chong, Rob Gibbs, and Valerie LaPointe
- Scores
- IMDb 7
No. 03 · 2013 · Series · 7h 30m · optional
Tales from Radiator Springs
All Cars Toons in Tales from Radiator Springs follow the daily lives of McQueen, Mater and their friends in their hometown Radiator Springs, following the events of Cars 2.
Why it matters: Four comic shorts about everyday life in Radiator Springs.
- Creator
- John Lasseter
- Scores
- IMDb 6.5
- Episodes
- 15
No. 04 · 2013 · Film · 1h 31m · optional
Planes
Dusty is a cropdusting plane who dreams of competing in a famous aerial race. The problem? He is hopelessly afraid of heights. With the support of his mentor Skipper and a host of new friends, Dusty sets off to make his dreams come true.
Why it matters: A spin-off set in the Cars world: a crop duster afraid of heights enters a round-the-world race.
- Starring
- Dane Cook, Carlos Alazraqui, and Val Kilmer
- Director
- Klay Hall
- Box office
- $220 million on a $50 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 26%
No. 05 · 2014 · Film · 1h 23m · optional
Planes: Fire & Rescue
When world-famous air racer Dusty learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of aerial firefighting. Dusty joins forces with veteran fire and rescue helicopter Blade Ranger and his team, a bunch of all-terrain vehicles known as The Smokejumpers. Together, the fearless team battles a massive wildfire, and Dusty learns what it takes to become a true hero.
Why it matters: Dusty Crophopper retrains as a firefighting plane at Piston Peak National Park.
- Starring
- Ed Harris, Dane Cook, and Julie Bowen
- Director
- Bobs Gannaway
- Box office
- $151 million on a $50 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 44%
No. 06 · 2017 · Film · 3m · optional
Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool
Enjoy blindsided testimonials from the Crazy 8's, touting the transformative impact Miss Fritter's Racing School has had in reshaping the direction of their lives.
Why it matters: A short infomercial for Miss Fritter's demolition derby school, from the Cars 3 home release.
- Starring
- Lea DeLaria, Jeremy Maxwell, and Keith Ferguson
- Director
- James Ford Murphy
- Scores
- IMDb 5.2
The essentials, in release order
- Cars2006 · Film · 1h 57mLightning McQueen in Radiator Springs.
- Cars 22011 · Film · 1h 46mA spy caper with Mater.
- Cars 32017 · Film · 1h 42mMcQueen faces the next generation.
- Cars on the Road2022 · Series · 1h 48mLightning and Mater drive cross-country to Mater's sister's wedding on Disney+.
Common questions
Do I need to watch every Cars title?
No. You can skip 6 of the 10 titles in the Cars franchise and still follow the main story: Mater and the Ghostlight, Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales, Tales from Radiator Springs, Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool, Planes, and Planes: Fire & Rescue. The essentials (4 titles) take about 7 hours instead of 18 hours.
How long are the Cars essentials?
About 7 hours for 4 titles, in release order starting with Cars.
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