The Air Bud saga is getting a fresh start with Air Bud Returns, set for a 2026 theatrical bow. The project brings together a new ensemble that includes Aydin Artis, Tracy Ifeachor, Edwin Lee Gibson, Tyler Labine, Erik Gow, and Maxim Swinton, with Robert Vince writing and directing. This installment marks Vince’s continued hand at shaping the canine‑stellar franchise.
Cast, setting, and canines
The story follows 12‑year‑old Jacob, portrayed by Artis, as he grapples with his father’s death and moves with his mother to his dad’s former Fernfield home. A chance discovery of a basketball‑savvy stray retriever, whom he.names Buddy, kicks off a family adventure rooted in the series’ familiar warmth.
Filming has begun in Fort Langley, British Columbia, with production led by Vince under a Cineverse‑backed banner alongside Air Bud Entertainment. For the basketball sequences, two Golden Retrievers, Charlie and Summer, will step in to portray Buddy, continuing the franchise’s tradition of canine stars in the lead role.
Air Bud Returns is positioned as a direct continuation of the 1997 original, which spawned a longer line of family titles. Cineverse chief motion pictures officer Yolanda Macias says the reveal of the cast and the canine players signals a respectful, modern revival of the beloved world.
Producers on the project include Vince and Anna McRoberts. The film aims to carry forward the heart of the original while presenting a current generation with a fresh take on Buddy’s basketball journey.
Source: Original article
