‘Air Bud Returns’ Reboot Announces Cast Ahead of 2026 Theatrical Release
‘Air Bud Returns’ Reboot Announces Cast Ahead of 2026 Theatrical Release
The Hollywood Reporter has exclusively revealed the principal cast for Air Bud Returns, the newest installment in the beloved basketball-playing golden retriever franchise. The film is slated for a 2026 theatrical release and is currently in production under writer-director Robert Vince, the creator of the original 1997 Air Bud.
The cast includes Aydin Artis as Jacob, a young aspiring basketball player coping with the recent loss of his father, alongside Tracy Ifeachor, Edwin Lee Gibson, Tyler Labine, Erik Gow, and Maxim Swinton. The story follows Jacob and his mother as they move to his father’s childhood home in Fernfield, where Jacob discovers a VHS tape of his dad playing basketball with a legendary golden retriever. Inspired by the footage, Jacob befriends and names a neglected golden retriever Buddy, beginning a new journey of resilience and teamwork.
Buddy is portrayed by Roscoe, trained by Hollywood animal trainer Mark Forbes. Additionally, golden retrievers Charlie and Summer were selected through the nationwide contest “The Search for the Next Air Bud” to perform key basketball and stunt sequences.
Production is underway in Fort Langley, British Columbia, which stands in for the iconic town of Fernfield. The film is produced by Air Bud Entertainment and Cineverse, with Vince and Anna McRoberts serving as producers.
According to Vince, the project continues the heart and magic that made the original film resonate with families worldwide. Cineverse chief motion pictures officer Yolanda Macias emphasized the franchise’s multigenerational appeal and expressed enthusiasm about ushering Buddy back to the big screen.
Air Bud Returns marks the franchise’s latest chapter, following the original 1997 theatrical release and its 1998 sequel Air Bud: Golden Receiver, further extending one of family entertainment’s most enduring sports franchises.
