Movies Like Air Bud (1997)

Air Bud is a 1997 comedy, family film from Charles Martin Smith with a MovieMagicScore of 5.6/10. Here are 20 similar films, ranked by real viewer ratings — starting with Air Bud: Golden Receiver and Air Bud: World Pup.

Comedy Family

Air Bud: Golden Receiver

1998

Josh and Buddy move from basketball to football in this first of several sequels to the original Air Bud.

5.1

MagicScore

Air Bud: World Pup

2001

In this second heartwarming and hilarious sequel to the popular favorite, Air Bud masters two new starring roles: soccer player and fatherhood. Loaded with laughs and cool soccer action, Buddy teams up alongside U.S. women's soccer greats.

5.0

MagicScore

Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch

2002

Josh is off to his first year of college and Buddy has stayed behind with Josh’s little sister Andrea and the rest of the family. Andrea, attempting to fit in with her Jr. High classmates, decides to join the baseball team and along the way discovers that Buddy is a talented baseball player.

5.5

MagicScore

Air Bud: Spikes Back

2003

Air Bud finds that he has the uncanny ability to play volleyball.

5.2

MagicScore

Watchers

1988

A boy takes in a stray dog, later finding out that it's an ultra-intelligent runaway from a genetic research lab. Unbeknownst to him, the dog is being stalked by another escaped creature that's not quite so friendly.

5.3

MagicScore

Bailey's Billion$

2005

Sweet and savvy talking golden retriever, Bailey, is one doggone lucky pooch when his devoted owner, Constance Pennington, leaves him her entire billion-dollar fortune. Bailey is lucky, that is, until he becomes the target of an elaborately-designed dognap scheme hatched by Constance's nasty nephew Caspar and his money-hungry wife Dolores. The despicable duo's wicked plan is to ultimately gain custody of the canine so they can get their greedy paws on his inheritance. Unfortunately for them, there's a thing or two they don't know about Bailey. Not only does he have great street smarts, he has great pals too. Bailey's loyal guardian Ted, kind-hearted animal advocate Marge, her daughter Sam, and a clever border collie named Tessa set out on a hilarious madcap adventure to free their four-legged friend and put the nasty dognappers out of business-for good!

5.8

MagicScore

Napoleon

1995

The adventures of Golden Retriever pup Napoleon and his friend, the parrot Birdo Lucci.

6.1

MagicScore

Old Yeller

1957

Young Travis Coates is left to take care of the family ranch with his mother and younger brother while his father goes off on a cattle drive in the 1860s. When a yellow mongrel comes for an uninvited stay with the family, Travis reluctantly adopts the dog.

6.9

MagicScore

A Boy and His Dog

1975

Set in the year 2024 in post-apocalyptic America, 18-year old Vic and his telepathic dog, Blood, are scavengers in the desolate wilderness ravaged by World War IV, where survivors must battle for food and shelter in the desert-like wasteland. Vic and Blood eke out a meager existence, foraging for food and fighting gangs of cutthroats.

6.3

MagicScore

#10

A Dog of Flanders

1999

Poor but happy, young Nello and his grandfather live alone, delivering milk as a livelihood, in the outskirts of Antwerp, a city in Flanders (the Flemish or Dutch-speaking part of modern-day Belgium). They discover a beaten dog (a Bouvier, a large sturdy dog native to Flanders) and adopt it and nurse it back to health, naming it Patrasche, the middle name of Nello's mother Mary, who died when Nello was very young. Nello's mother was a talented artist, and like his mother, he delights in drawing, and his friend Aloise is his model and greatest fan and supporter.

6.1

MagicScore

#11

Shiloh

1996

An abused beagle runs away from his owner. On the road, he meets young Marty Preston and follows him home. The boy immediately forms a bond with the dog and names him Shiloh. His stern father won't let him keep the dog because it belongs to Judd Travers, a local hunter. After Shiloh is mistreated again, he runs away and returns to Marty. Knowing his father will once again make him bring Shiloh back to Judd, he makes a home for the dog in an old shed up the hill from the Prestons' house and hides him from his family. His secret is soon discovered when a stray attacks the dog one night and he must turn to his father for help.

5.7

MagicScore

#12

Snow Buddies

2008

Dylan Sprouse, Jim Belushi and Kris Kristofferson lend their voices to this family-friendly tale about a feisty pack of golden retriever puppies that embarks on an Alaskan adventure. When they find themselves stranded in the northern wilderness, the canine offspring of famed sports star Air Bud team up with an experienced sled dog and a husky pup, who teach them the importance of working together.

6.1

MagicScore

#13

The Art of Racing in the Rain

2019

A family dog – with a near-human soul and a philosopher's mind – evaluates his life through the lessons learned by his human owner, a race-car driver.

8.2

MagicScore

#14

Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog

1995

Teenager Angus adopts a stray dog and names him Yellow. Several days later, while travelling along the coast of British Columbia with Angus's father, John, the boy and dog become stranded when turbulent waters capsize their boat. Angus's parents relentlessly badger rescue teams. Angus, schooled by his father in wilderness survival skills, and assisted by the intelligent Yellow Dog, tries to attract rescuers.

6.1

MagicScore

#15

Alpha

2018

In the prehistoric past, Keda, a young and inexperienced hunter, struggles to return home after being separated from his tribe when bison hunting goes awry. On his way back he will find an unexpected ally.

6.5

MagicScore

#16

Watchers III

1994

A top-secret experiment spawns two highly intelligent life-forms: Einstein, a golden retriever with an IQ of 175; and The Outsider, a deformed monstrosity that exists to kill... and avenge its creators. When the Outsider escapes into the jungles of South America, the government sends in some ex-military convicts to catch the beast. But what starts out as a high-speed chase ends up in bloody carnage. Only Einstein knows the Outsider's motives, and only the canine can outsmart the creature. Now, it's a battle of beasts as man's best friend confronts man's worst nightmare.

3.9

MagicScore

#17

Think Like a Dog

2020

A 12-year-old tech prodigy, whose science experiment goes awry, forges a telepathic connection with his best friend, Henry-his dog! The duo join forces and use their unique perspectives on life to comically overcome complications of family and school.

6.6

MagicScore

#18

Skippy

1931

Skippy, the mischievous son of a wealthy doctor, meets Sooky in poverty-ridden Shantytown, and together they try to save Sooky's pet from a cruel dogcatcher.

6.1

MagicScore

#19

Billy and Buddy

2013

Buddy is an abandoned young cocker spaniel waiting dejectedly in his cage for a kind, new owner to adopt him. Suddenly, Billy, a little boy whose hair is as red as Buddy's, appears. It's love at first sight and the beginning of a great friendship. But for Billy's parents, this is where the trouble begins.

4.5

MagicScore

#20

Seventeen

2019

To find his therapy dog, a 17-year-old escapes from juvie and embarks on a journey of reconnection with his brother and grandmother through Cantabria.

7.3

MagicScore

Frequently asked

What are the best movies like Air Bud?

The top films similar to Air Bud by MovieMagicScore are Air Bud: Golden Receiver (5.1), Air Bud: World Pup (5.0), Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch (5.5). Each shares comedy/family themes and is ranked by real viewer ratings, not critics or studios.

Is Air Bud worth watching?

Air Bud holds a MovieMagicScore of 5.6/10 from 492 viewer ratings.

What kind of movie is Air Bud?

Air Bud (1997) is a comedy, family film directed by Charles Martin Smith, starring Kevin Zegers, Wendy Makkena, Michael Jeter.

Where can I find more recommendations like Air Bud?

Browse the full ranked list above, or explore more comedy recommendations on MovieMagicScore, where every list is ordered by genuine viewer ratings.

Keep exploring

Movies like Air Bud: Golden Receiver Movies like Air Bud: World Pup Movies like Air Bud: Seventh Inning Fetch Movies like Air Bud: Spikes Back Movies like Watchers Movies like Bailey's Billion$

About movies like Air Bud

This ranked list pairs Air Bud (1997), a comedy and family film from Charles Martin Smith, with similar titles by genre, theme and cast overlap (fans of Kevin Zegers take note). Unlike critic-driven sites, every position here is ordered by MovieMagicScore — a rating built only from real viewers, with no studio marketing or paid placement. Scores update as more people rate, so the list stays current.

← Back to Air Bud