Good news everyone, Air Bud is back. The world is healing.
Air Bud Entertainment (yes, apparently there is a production company just for these films) just announced that a new film in the canine franchise about a golden retriever who plays basketball is currently under works.
Titled Air Bud Returns, the film follows 12-year-old Jacob, an aspiring basketball player whose dreams are derailed after his father’s death. Forced to move with his mother into his late father’s childhood home, Jacob struggles to adjust until he meets a stray golden retriever, who he names Buddy. Unbeknownst to Jacob, this chance encounter with the Buddy will change his life.
The first Air Bud film was distributed by Disney and premiered in 1997, quickly solidifying itself as a classic in the family-friendly genre. At the time, critics gave the movie mixed reviews. Although some (correct) people appreciated the movie’s silliness, others were not so generous, describing the film as “dubious” at best.
Despite its Rotten Tomato score, Air Bud became a cult-favorite in the family-friendly genre, eventually spawning 13 more films about the athletic canine. Air Bud Returns will be the 15th in the franchise and will see the return of the movies’ original creator and director, Robert Vince.
It’s been over a decade since an Air Bud film dunked onto our small and big screens, but the love for the hoop-shooting dog has not quieted down.
cinema is saved https://t.co/7fjrcXgZ1F pic.twitter.com/rUpnoMShOI
— Spongey The Editor (@Spongey445) July 24, 2025
“Cinema is saved,” an X user wrote, reacting to the news about a new Air Bud movie.
Another person posted a montage of LeBron James’ dunking the ball, along with the caption: “Air Bud when it comes time to dunk on a bunch of high school kids.”
Air Bud when it comes time to dunk on a bunch of high school kids https://t.co/CJ87yJx3ps pic.twitter.com/YMtZpe025Z
— Tyler ~Bibee’s Glasses~ Griffith (@tgriffith1992) July 24, 2025
Sadly, some fans realized that, after a 12-year Air Bud hiatus, there is no way this Buddy is the same as their Buddy.
Thats not the same actor for airbud… https://t.co/zLoeerXzEe pic.twitter.com/IOi3hO8aIo
— Chris (@thegreyzen) July 24, 2025
The original AorBud came out in 1997.28 years ago.😭😭😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/HY3JCGgScq
— Ōzeki GOAT (@GOATofGOATS_MMA) July 24, 2025
The original Buddy died in 1998, just one year after Air Bud’s release. Rest in peace little guy, we hope you are still shooting hoops in heaven.
For the film’s 25th anniversary in 2022, Disney dedicated a post to Buddy.
25 years later and there’s still nothing in the rulebook that says a dog can’t play basketball. 🏀 Happy 25th anniversary to Air Bud! pic.twitter.com/elIzep2nqo
— Disney (@Disney) August 1, 2022
Producers have slated the film for a summer 2026 release.
Does Air Bud still got it? We’ll just have to wait and see.
The post This Beloved Kids’ Movie Icon Is Returning After More Than a Decade appeared first on The Daily Beast.
