The beloved basketball-playing golden retriever is making a comeback for a new generation.
Air Bud Returns is officially in production and gearing up for a 2026 theatrical release, marking the next chapter in the classic Air Bud franchise. The new film stars Aydin Artis (Blue’s Clues & You), Tracy Ifeachor (The Pitt), and Edwin Lee Gibson (The Bear), alongside Tyler Labine, Erik Gow, and Maxim Swinton.
At the heart of this latest installment is Jacob (Artis), a 12-year-old basketball prodigy navigating grief after losing his father. When Jacob and his mother (Ifeachor) relocate to his dad’s hometown of Fernfield, he uncovers an old VHS tape showing his father playing alongside a hoops-shooting golden retriever. What begins as a nostalgic discovery becomes a heartfelt journey when Jacob befriends a neglected dog he names Buddy—continuing the story that’s inspired families since 1997.
Returning to direct is franchise creator Robert Vince, who has shepherded every Air Bud and Air Buddies film under his banner Air Bud Entertainment, now in partnership with Cineverse. Vince also penned the script and produces alongside Anna McRoberts.
In this new era, Roscoe takes the lead as Buddy, with golden retrievers Charlie and Summer sharing basketball and stunt duties—each discovered through a nationwide search for the “Next Air Bud.” Filming is underway in Fort Langley, British Columbia, standing in for the franchise’s signature small town of Fernfield.
Vince described the project as a “celebration of family, teamwork, and heart—the same spirit that made the original so special.”
The original Air Bud—released in 1997 and directed by Charles Martin Smith—became a family favorite that spawned multiple sequels and spinoffs, from Golden Receiver to the Santa Paws series. Nearly three decades later, Air Bud Returns aims to rekindle that same joy and magic, this time through a new story centered on family legacy, resilience, and the enduring bond between a boy and his dog.