The beloved golden retriever returns, dribbling basketball and winning over hearts.
Twenty years after the original Air Bud, Robert Vince writes and directs Air Bud Returns (who has been with the franchise since 2000’s Air Bud: World Pup). It stars Aydin Artis as Jacob, a young boy reeling from the loss of his father who just so happens to come across a stray golden retriever named Buddy at the most opportune time. This and other odd coincidences set Jacob and Buddy on a path to recreate the classic movie when they form their own basketball team and set their sights on the local championship.
Alongside Artis, Air Bud Returns stars Tracy Ifeachor as Jacob’s mother, Jasmine, as well as Edwin Lee Gibson, Tyler Labine, Erik Gow, and Maxim Swinton. The family adventure also features canine actors Charlie and Summer in the role of Buddy.
The official logline for Air Bud Returns reads, “After the passing of his father, 14-year-old Jacob and his mom move into his dad’s childhood home in Fernfield, where anything is possible. Jacob dreams of becoming a basketball star, which seems further away than ever, until he discovers a VHS marked Air Bud. Jacob has a miraculous chance meeting with a basketball-playing golden retriever, Buddy. The duo embarks on a journey of healing, unites a basketball team of misfits, and chases a championship as the new Timberwolves.”
The original Air Bud was directed by Charles Martin Smith from a screenplay by Paul Tamasy and Aaron Mendelsohn, which itself was inspired by the character of the same name created by Kevin DiCicco. The family-oriented feature premiered in 1997 and introduced audiences worldwide to the titular basketball-playing Golden Retriever, portrayed by the iconic Buddy.
In the years that followed, the Air Bud franchise expanded with sequels such as 1998’s Air Bud: Golden Receiver, which brought back original star Kevin Zegers as Buddy’s young owner, Josh Framm. This then sparked a franchise and two known spin-offs, Air Buddies and the Christmas specials, Santa Paws.
Air Bud Returns arrives in theaters on January 22, 2027.
