By George & Josh Bate
Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of Air Bud, the charming sports family comedy that was a staple of many of our childhoods. Entertainment studio Cineverse is commemorating this milestone of the long-running franchise by bringing the beloved golden retriever back to the big screen for the first time since 1998.
Air Bud Returns follows 12-year-old Jacob as he moves with his mother to Fernfield, Washington following the death of his father. There, he uncovers a VHS copy of the original Air Bud and proceeds to befriend a stray Golden Retriever named Buddy. Together, Buddy and Jacob join local kids to form a basketball team and compete for a championship.
The HoloFiles recently had the opportunity to speak with Air Bud Returns director, writer, and producer Robert Vince (in addition to Roscoe the dog, who plays Buddy!) in the Barco Cinema space at CinemaCon 2026 about the longevity of the beloved franchise, the flexibility required to work with animals, and the exceeding warmth that continues to draw audiences to these movies.
Vince has been involved with the Air Bud franchise from the very beginning, having the original film in 1997. Since then, the Canadian filmmaker has produced all 15 movies of the franchise and directed 10 of them, including Santa Buddies, Snow Buddies, Space Buddies, and Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch.
Vince discussed the appeal of the original Air Bud movie, which was a massive commercial success and earned a coveted “A” rating on CinemaScore. “First of all, the original movie was very unique in its time, right?” Vince said. “The other thing I think is that it had gravitas. It wasn’t just about a dog playing ball. That’s the hook. But it was heartwarming, it was fun, it had action, it was entertaining, it was very memorable.”
Nearly 30 years later, Air Bud continues to garner attention from children and adults alike. Vince reflected on why the Air Bud movies have hooked audiences for nearly 30 years, a longevity that most franchises could only dream of. “When you watch an Air Bud movie, you feel the sense of home,” Vince stated. “And that’s what we’re doing with Air Bud Returns. We’re bringing people back home. I link that the longevity is in its authenticity.”
Having helmed so many films in this franchise, Vince is no stranger to work with animals. W.C. Fields famously once advised that filmmakers “never work with children or animals” due their unpredictability and unwieldiness. “I’d say that guy was a grumpy old guy,” Vince humorously scoffed. “What’s there not to like? A lot of filmmakers enter the business with this idea that they’re going to control every element. If you want to make movies with families, with dogs and kids, ‘control’ is not going to be the word. What the word is going to be is ‘fun,’ enjoying the moment, allowing things to happen. As a filmmaker, I love that. I love working with animals and pets and families and kids and great adult actors that we have here too.”
Vince elaborated that some of the “best “magic” moments of the Air Bud movies come from the dogs’ unplanned behaviors. “What you have to be as a director, you have to be somewhat flexible,” Vince stated. “There’s these magic moments, and you have to allow those to happen. It’s not like, ‘Oh, the dog didn’t do exactly what I wanted him to do.’ Well, that might be the magic moment. You have to always be willing to be flexible in that way.”
As he sat next to the adorable Roscoe, Vince commented on the reality of working with well-trained animals as key figures of a film production. “Nothing really goes awry with the dog, honestly,” Vince admitted. “It’s not like your family pet, in the sense that they’re so well-trained. They go around everything on set. It’sp art of their environment, so things can be going on and it’s not like they’re going to do anything crazy.”
Vince compared the indescribable warmth of seeing a dog on the street to working with dogs on a film production. “Just like you have that feeling when you sees a dog, that’s what it’s like on set,” Vince described. “You have these beautiful, golden, cheery dogs that are working with the cast.” Vince detailed what described as an ideal working environment. Surrounded by loving, adorable dogs all day? Count us in.
Air Bud Returns promises to unite generations through its heart, humor, and lovable titular character when the family event film hits theaters next winter.
Air Bud Returns will hit theaters on January 22, 2027.
