Air Bud
OwnerAir Bud Entertainment (original films and Air Buddies)
The Walt Disney Company (all other films)
Years1997–2013
Films and television
Film(s)
Direct-to-video
Air Bud series
Air Buddies series
Santa Paws series

The Air Bud film series (also known as Disney Buddies) is an American film franchise based on a sports-playing Golden Retriever named Buddy, portrayed by Air Buddy.[1] The franchise began in 1997 with the theatrical release of Air Bud, followed by the theatrical release of Air Bud: Golden Receiver in 1998.[1][2] Following the box office failure of Golden Receiver, the rest of the films in the series were released in direct-to-video form. The Air Buddies or Disney Buddies spin-off series began in 2006 with the release of Air Buddies and it focuses on the adventures of Buddy's talking Golden Retriever puppies.[2] The franchise features fourteen films (five of which were in the Air Bud series and seven in the Air Buddies series),[3] in addition to two Christmas spin-offs of the Air Buddies series.

Disney Buddies is one of the top direct-to-DVD franchises, just behind Disney Fairies at $300 million, with the first 12 films grossing $220 million by March 2014.[4]

History

Kevin DiCicco's Golden Retriever Buddy was featured on "America's Funniest Home Videos" and David Letterman's "Stupid Pet Tricks". He then (in 1991), approached the independent production company Keystone Entertainment to produce Air Bud, a film based on Buddy. He also formed his production company, Air Bud Productions, that year.[1] Disney's Miramax was brought on as the distribution company.[1][5] Keystone indicated that no sequel was planned. The film did well in the home video market.[1]

By April 1998, DiCicco and Robert Vince, the film's producer at Keystone, had a falling out, as Keystone and Vince had gone forward with a sequel, Air Bud: Golden Receiver, without DiCicco, who also claimed he wasn't paid anything for the first film and that he owns the Air Bud rights (based on the name of this production company name).

DiCicco bred three offspring of Buddy and trained them for sports like Buddy. The puppies were signed to an endorsement deal by DiCicco for Milk-Bone dog biscuits for puppies. He intended to make his own sequel, Air Bud: The Next Generation, which was scheduled to start production in the fall of 1999, with its concept being a "cross between Ferris Bueller and Home Alone".[1]

Disney and William Morris Agency were sued in December 2011 over the Santa Paws films being unauthorized copies of a 1991 script for Santa Paws: The Story of Santa's Dog.[6]

Film series

Film U.S. release date Directed by Screenplay by Story by Produced by Refs.
Air Bud
Air Bud August 1, 1997 Charles Martin Smith Paul Tamasy & Aaron Mendelssohn Robert Vince and William Vince [7]
Air Bud: Golden Receiver August 14, 1998 Richard Martin Robert Vince [8]
Air Bud: World Pup December 12, 2000 Bill Bannerman Mike Whiting and Robert Vince & Anne Vince Ian Fodie [9]
Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch February 21, 2002 Robert Vince Sara Sutton & Stephanie Isherwood and Anne Vince & Anna McRoberts Robert Vince Robert Vince and Anna McRoberts [10]
Air Bud: Spikes Back June 24, 2003 Mike Southon Anne Vince & Anna McRoberts Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince and Benjamin Kutz [11]
Air Buddies
Air Buddies December 12, 2006 Robert Vince Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince
Snow Buddies February 5, 2008 [12]
Space Buddies February 3, 2009 [13]
Santa Buddies November 24, 2009 [6]
Spooky Buddies September 20, 2011
Treasure Buddies January 31, 2012 [14][15]
Super Buddies August 27, 2013
Santa Paws
The Search for Santa Paws November 23, 2010 Robert Vince Anna McRoberts & Robert Vince [16]
Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups November 20, 2012

Recurring cast and characters

List indicator(s)

This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in more than two films in the series.

Characters Air Bud film series Buddies film series Santa Paws film series
Air Bud Air Bud:
Golden Receiver 		Air Bud:
World Pup 		Air Bud:
Seventh Inning Fetch 		Air Bud Spikes Back Air Buddies Snow Buddies Space Buddies Santa Buddies Spooky Buddies Treasure Buddies Super Buddies The Search for Santa Paws Santa Paws 2:
The Santa Pups
Buddy Air Buddy Rush
Chase
Zak
Chance 		various Golden Retrievers Shooter various Golden Retrievers Tom Everett ScottV  
Jackie Framm (Sullivan) Wendy Makkena Cynthia Stevenson Chilton Crane Cynthia Stevenson  
Josh Framm Kevin Zegers  
Tom Stewart Shayn Solberg  
Andrea Framm Jessibelle and Katy Mather Alyson MacLaren Caitlin Wachs Katija Pevec  
Dr. Patrick Sullivan   Gregory Harrison Dale Midkiff Richard Karn Alf Humphreys Richard Karn  
Molly   various Golden Retrievers   Molly ShannonV  
Noah Sullivan   Hannah Marof and Emma Marof Jake D. Smith Slade Pearce Dylan Minnette  
Sheriff Bob   Patrick Cranshaw  
B-Dawg   Skyler GisondoV Cooper RothV  
Buddha   Dominic Scott KayV Jimmy BennettV Field CateV Charles Henry WysonV Tenzing TrainorV  
Budderball   Josh FlitterV Nico GhisiV Tucker AlbrizziV Jeremy ShinderV  
Mudbud   Spencer FoxV Henry HodgesV Ty PanitzV  
Rosebud   Abigail BreslinV Liliana MumyV G HanneliusV  
Sniffer   Don KnottsV   Tim ConwayV  
Eli   Danny Woodburn   Danny Woodburn
Santa Claus   George Wendt   Richard Riehle Pat Finn
Mrs. Claus   Patrika Darbo Cheryl Ladd

Crew

Credited as Air Bud film series Spin-offs
Air Buddies film series Santa Paws film series
Air Bud
(1997) 		Air Bud:
Golden Receiver
(1998) 		Air Bud:
World Pup
(2000) 		Air Bud:
Seventh Inning Fetch
(2002) 		Air Bud:
Spikes Back
(2003) 		Air Buddies
(2006) 		Snow Buddies
(2008) 		Space Buddies
(2009) 		Santa Buddies:
Here Comes Santa Paws/The Legend of Santa Paws
(2009) 		Spooky Buddies
(2011) 		Treasure Buddies
(2012) 		Super Buddies
(2013) 		The Search for
Santa Paws
(2010) 		Santa Paws 2:
The Santa Pups
(2012)
Director Charles Martin Smith Richard Martin Bill Bannerman Robert Vince Mike Southon Robert Vince
Producer(s) Robert Vince,
Michael Strange,
William Vince 		Robert Vince Ian Fodie Anna McRoberts,
Robert Vince
Screenwriter(s) Paul Tamasy,
Aaron Mendelsohn 		Mike Whiting,
Robert Vince,
Anne Vince 		Sara Sutton,
Stephanie Isherwood,
Anne Vince,
Anna McRoberts 		Anne Vince,
Anna McRoberts 		Anna McRoberts,
Robert Vince,
Phil Hanley 		Robert Vince,
Anna McRoberts 		Robert Vince,
Anna McRoberts,
Philip Fracassi
Story by Robert Vince
Composer(s) Brahm Wenger Brahm Wenger,
Gregory Prechel 		Brahm Wenger
Cinematographer Mike Southon Cyrus Block Steve Adelson Mike Southon Kamal Derkaoui Mike Southon Kamal Derkaoui Mark Irwin Kamal Derkaoui Mark Irwin
Editor(s) Alison Vince Bruce Lange,
Melinda Seabrook 		Kelly Herron,
Laura Mazur 		Kelly Herron,
Jason Pielak 		Kelly Herron Jason Pielak Kelly Herron

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wolk, Josh (April 3, 1998). "Air Bud". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  2. ^ a b Finley, Adam (February 24, 2006). "Air Bud is Coming Back". AOL Moviefone. Archived from the original on June 12, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  3. ^ Strowbridge, C.S. (August 26, 2013). "DVD and Blu-ray Releases for August 27th, 2013 - The Numbers". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  4. ^ McClintock, Pamela (April 3, 2014). "How Tinker Bell Became Disney's Stealthy $300 Million Franchise". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  5. ^ Goodridge, Mike (February 20, 2002). "Miramax gets in family way with Keystone". Screen Daily. Retrieved December 18, 2017.
  6. ^ a b Gardner, Eriq (December 23, 2011). "Lawsuit Claims Disney Ripped Off Films About Santa Claus' Dog". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  7. ^ "Air Bud (1997)". Yahoo! Movies. Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on July 22, 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  8. ^ "Air Bud: Golden Receiver". Fandango. Fandango. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  9. ^ "Air Bud: World Pup Plot Summary and Details". AOL Moviefone. AOL Moviefone. Archived from the original on April 4, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  10. ^ Buzz McClain (2008). "Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 31, 2008. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  11. ^ Tyner, Adam (June 24, 2003). "Air Bud Spikes Back". DVD Talk. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  12. ^ Kho, Nancy (December 20, 2010). "Snow Buddies". Common Sense Media. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  13. ^ Orange, B. Alan (February 6, 2009). "Space Buddies DVD". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on September 29, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2011.
  14. ^ "TREASURE BUDDIES Straight to DVD Feature". Association of Canadian Film Craftspeople. Retrieved October 1, 2011.
  15. ^ Katz, Josh (November 4, 2011). "Treasure Buddies Blu-ray". Blu-ray.com. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  16. ^ Herman, Joly (November 23, 2010). "The Search for Santa Paws". Common Sense Media. Retrieved May 11, 2011.

External links

Air Bud
Disney franchises and series
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