1997 sports film by Charles Martin Smith
Air Bud is a 1997 sports comedy-drama film directed by Charles Martin Smith. An international co-production of the United States and Canada, the film stars Kevin Zegers as a young boy who befriends a runaway Golden Retriever (portrayed by Buddy) with a unique ability to play basketball.
Air Bud was released on August 1, 1997, by Malofilm in Canada and by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution (through the Walt Disney Pictures banner) in the United States. The film received mixed reviews but was a commercial success, grossing $4 million in its opening weekend and totaling $27.8 million in its run against an estimated $3 million budget. It was followed by a direct sequel, Air Bud: Golden Receiver, in 1998, and spawned a film franchise that includes the spin-off series Air Buddies.
Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.