"Cars 2" racing to theaters in 2011

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Pixar is pushing the pedal to the metal on its sequel "Cars 2."

The follow-up to John Lasseter's 2006 film "Cars" originally was scheduled for release in summer 2012. But at a Disney presentation Wednesday, Lasseter, Pixar's chief creative officer, said that the film has been moved up to a 2011 release.

Brad Lewis, who served as a producer on "Antz" and "Ratatouille," is directing the film, which Lasseter said takes its inspiration from cars from around the world that he saw while doing publicity tours on behalf of "Cars."

In the meantime, Pixar will keep the "Cars" engine humming with a series of animated shorts dubbed "Cars Toons," which will play on the Disney Channel and might screen theatrically. The first of these, "Mater's Tall Tales," takes its title from the name of the character that Larry the Cable Guy played in the first film.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter