Air Bud Franchise

The **Air Bud** film series is an American film franchise which began in 1997. There is fourteen films in the franchise, including five in the Air Bud series, seven in the Air Buddies series and two Christmas spin-offs of the Air Buddies series.

## History

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

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 Retriever, without DiCicco. Also, DiCicco claimed he was not 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. The concept was a "cross between Ferris Bueller and Home Alone".

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

## Films

* Air Bud

Josh meets an abused Golden Retriever and finds out that he can play basketball.

* Air Bud: Golden Receiver

Josh's Golden Retriever learns to play American football.

* Air Bud: World Pup

Josh discovers that Buddy's ballplaying skills apply to soccer.

* Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch

Buddy makes the baseball team and becomes a star player.

* Air Bud: Spikes Back

Buddy tackles volleyball.

## Spin-Offs

### Air Buddies

The Air Buddies films are considered spin-offs of the original series, focusing on Buddy's puppies and were all direct-to-video releases.

* Air Buddies

Buddy and Molly's offspring work together to help each other while attempting to rescue their parents.

* Snow Buddies

The offspring of Buddy and Molly go on an Alaskan adventure.

* Space Buddies

The buddies tag along for a school field trip to the space museum and accidentally walk aboard a rocket ship.

* Santa Buddies

The buddies team up with Puppy Paws, the son of Santa Paws, to end the melting of a magical icicle threatening Christmas Eve.

* Spooky Buddies

The buddies are in a new adventure when Halloween hits Fernfield.

* Treasure Buddies

The buddies find themselves on an Indiana Jones style adventure.

* Super Buddies

After acquiring rings that grant them superpowers, the buddies must use them to stop a villainous alien dictator.

### Santa Paws

The Santa Paws films are prequels to Santa Buddies.

* The Search for Santa Paws

When Santa is in trouble, Paws has to save Christmas with the help of some friends.

* Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups

When the Christmas spirit begins to disappear, Mrs. Claus and the Santa Pups must race to save Christmas around the world.