It would be hard to find someone who doesn't know the Air Bud series, especially since it has had 15 films and three television shows. Nearly 30 years after Air Bud introduced audiences to a basketball-playing Golden Retriever and 15 years since its last entry, the beloved family franchise is heading back to the court with Air Bud Returns, a new movie hitting theaters January 22, 2027.
However, despite advancements in visual effects since the original film's release, fans shouldn't expect the new movie to embrace CGI or AI, as director Robert Vince is aiming to keep a decidedly old-school approach to Buddy himself.
Speaking exclusively with The Direct at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2026, Vince opened up about bringing Air Bud to a new generation, why the upcoming movie isn't simply a retelling of the original, and the decision to use real dogs rather than relying on CGI for its four-legged basketball star.
For more SDCC coverage from The Direct, be sure to check out our interviews with Sung Kang (from the Fast & Furious franchise) for Drifter, which is promised to be a "love letter to this amazing car community."
Air Bud Returns Will Be Different From the Original
"We Wanted To Take All the DNA of the Original Film"
The original Air Bud was released in 1997, telling the story of a young boy who forms a bond with a stray Golden Retriever with an unusual talent for basketball. For the new movie, Robert Vince's goal isn't to recreate that story beat-for-beat.
- The Direct: "What is the biggest difference from the first film until now?"
Robert Vince: Obviously, the first movie is a classic. So we wanted to take all the DNA of the original film and really do something all new that was unique. It's all new characters and all new story... It has the themes of the original one, like, 'Anything is possible when you play from the heart,' and, of course, there still ain't no rule that says the dog can't play basketball.
Vince revealed the new Air Bud will also explore themes of "family legacy, redemption, and coming home." According to the filmmaker, this allows the movie to serve two different audiences: adults who grew up watching Buddy and children who may have never seen an Air Bud movie before:
Vince: It's really a lot of fun for people that are nostalgic, grew up like you with Air Bud, and then also the kids that have never seen an Air Bud movie before.
Why 2027 Is the Right Time for Air Bud's Return
"It Can Be a Multi-Generational Event Now"
With three decades separating the original movie from the new Air Bud, Robert Vince believes enough time has passed for the franchise's return to become a multigenerational experience.
- The Direct: "What do you think makes now, with it coming out in 2027, the perfect time to release a new Air Bud?"
Robert Vince: Because it can be a multi-generational event now. So your parents took you to the original Air Bud, probably, right? They may be grandparents... You're kind of getting to that age where you'll have kids. So it's this multi-generational event, and the timing is kind of perfect for it.
The decision to bring Air Bud back wasn't solely based on how much time had passed, either. For Vince, there was simply a feeling that audiences were ready to revisit this world:
Vince: It was a feel thing, like it was time. I could tell whenever I'd be interviewed by somebody about Air Bud, they're all your age or a little older... You grew up with it. The difficult thing was doing something unique and interesting that paid homage to the original movie. I felt as the director and as a writer that we were doing something that was meaningful, equally as meaningful, not just regurgitation.
The New Air Bud Won't Use a CGI Dog
"The Dog Is a Real Dog"
Technology has transformed significantly since the original Air Bud was filmed, but audiences shouldn't expect the new Buddy to be created inside a computer. Robert Vince confirmed to The Direct that no CGI dog will be used in the movie.
- The Direct: "There's probably a lot of practical effects involved with this, especially working with the dog. What is something audiences don't really know about this filmmaking process that makes it difficult?"
Vince: There's no CGI dog used in the movie, so there's a lot of tricks that we use to get the dog to perform and play basketball and all that. It's not a one-take wonder.
But the challenges that come with using a real animal are worthwhile for Robert Vince because the heart of Air Bud remains the relationship between a child and his dog:
Vince: The truth is, the dog is a real dog. It's a boy and a dog story, like the original one. So it feels authentic, and the reason is we're using a real dog, which is not easy. Everybody goes, 'Oh, why don't you use CGI or AI in this?' I'm like, 'Because it won't feel like a real dog, and that's what we really connect with
It Takes Multiple Dogs To Create One Air Bud
Some Are "Movie Stars," Others Are "Stunt Guys"
Avoiding a CGI Buddy creates another challenge: finding a dog capable of doing everything the character requires. The original Buddy was unusually gifted at basketball, and Robert Vince admitted that the new production hasn't found a single dog capable of replicating all his abilities.
- The Direct: "What do you think is the most important skill for the dog to have?"
Robert Vince: Well, obviously, play basketball. I mean, that's the hardest thing to teach any dog, and the original Air Bud was so good at it. It was a savant. We've never had one dog that could fulfill that promise, so we need multiple dogs in the movie.The lead dog, which is here on the poster, he's incredibly charismatic and beautiful to look at and has personality, a ton of personality.
The dogs handling the more complicated basketball sequences have a different temperament:
Vince: The ones that play basketball tend to be very focused. Like, 'I'm going to hit that ball, I'm going to put it where it needs to go, I'm going to put it in the net.' They're focus, focus, focus. We have our movie star, and then you have your kind of stunt guys—or sports stunt guys.
With the new film, Vince is looking to recapture what made audiences connect with Air Bud nearly three decades ago without simply recreating the original. And while technology could make putting a basketball-playing dog on screen considerably easier in 2027, Vince and his team are betting that Buddy's biggest special effect is something that can't be replicated digitally: being a real dog.
