Disney and Pixar’s Cars is racing back to theaters in September 2026 for its 20th anniversary. Several Pixar Cars 20th Anniversary Popcorn Buckets and Collectibles are reportedly in the works for the re-release, including a Lightning McQueen Popcorn Bucket, a 130oz Metal Tin with a character lid featuring Lightning McQueen and Mater, a matching metal cup, and a possible Piston Cup exclusive item that may be chain-specific.
Twenty years ago today, a wrong turn into Radiator Springs reminded a generation that the journey matters as much as the finish line. Cars originally opened June 9, 2006, directed by John Lasseter for Pixar Animation Studios, and went on to become one of the studio’s most beloved and enduring franchises. The film follows Lightning McQueen, a hotshot rookie race car who gets stranded in the forgotten desert town of Radiator Springs while chasing the Piston Cup Championship — and slowly discovers that winning isn’t everything. Owen Wilson voiced Lightning McQueen, with Paul Newman as Doc Hudson and Larry the Cable Guy as Mater in what became an iconic Pixar partnership.
The 20th anniversary celebration is already underway. Disney Parks fans can pick up the Cars 20th Anniversary Lightning McQueen Popcorn Bucket at Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort starting today — a light-up, rolling bucket that is already generating serious collector interest. The theater version is a different item entirely, and if the Toy Story 30th Anniversary re-release playbook is any indication, the full theater collectible lineup for Cars this September could be one of the strongest anniversary merchandise waves of the year. For all ongoing movie theater collectible coverage, visit our Movie Theater Popcorn Buckets hub.
Note: Disney, Pixar, or any theater chain has not officially announced the following items. This information is based on early sourcing and should be treated as unconfirmed until chains make official announcements. We will update this article as details are confirmed.
A Lightning McQueen-shaped popcorn bucket is reportedly in the works for the theatrical re-release, expected to land in the $35 to $45 price range. The theater version is distinct from the Disney Parks bucket currently on sale — the parks version features a strap and LED lights, while the theater edition is not expected to include either of those features based on current sourcing. Think of it as the clean, display-ready version of the character bucket: all the sculpt, none of the electronics. This one also may be a bit larger than the Parks.
A 130oz metal popcorn tin with a character lid is reportedly part of the Cars anniversary theater lineup, featuring both Lightning McQueen and Mater on the topper — the same format that appeared during the Toy Story 30th Anniversary re-release. Metal tins in this format have proven to be strong secondary sellers when paired with a hero bucket, and a Lightning-and-Mater lid design is a smart choice for a film where that friendship is the emotional core of the story. The expected price range is approximately $25 to $30. A matching metal cup with the same character topper is also reportedly planned, though sourcing suggests this may have been updated to a standard plastic cup by the time it reaches theaters.
The most intriguing and most uncertain item in the reported lineup is a Piston Cup-themed collectible, possibly a Piston Cup-shaped bucket or container. This item was reportedly designed and at one point planned for the anniversary rollout, but there is meaningful uncertainty about whether it is still moving forward. If it does make it to theaters, current sourcing suggests it may land as a chain-exclusive item rather than a broadly distributed piece, which would make it the most limited and potentially most collectible item of the entire Cars anniversary wave. Take this one with a grain of salt until an official announcement confirms it.
Our Take
The Toy Story 30th Anniversary re-release set the template here, and if Disney follows the same playbook for Cars, this is going to be a genuinely exciting theater merchandise moment. A Lightning McQueen character bucket at that price point, a metal tin with a Mater lid, and a potential Piston Cup exclusive is a lineup built for the collector crowd that showed up for Woody and Buzz last year. The Disney Parks bucket on sale today is a different and more premium item — the light-up and rolling features make it the definitive display piece — but the theater versions will be their own thing, and easier to grab for fans who aren’t making a theme park trip this summer. If the Piston Cup item survives to release, that is the one to watch. A Piston Cup-shaped bucket as a chain exclusive would be among the most creative anniversary collectibles we have seen in this space.
We will be updating this article the moment any theater chain makes an official announcement on Cars 20th anniversary collectibles. Stay current on all Cars anniversary and theater collectible coverage at fantasylandnews.com and join the Realm at fantasylandnews.com/the-realm.
