Air Bud in Langley

A golden retriever who plays basketball is about the most famous thing ever filmed in Fort Langley. In the summer of 2025, the company behind the films said in its announcement that the new movie would shoot in Fort Langley, which it called the franchise’s “original hometown.” The village had been Fernfield for almost thirty years.

The 1997 original

Air Bud is a family film about a lonely boy who moves to a new town, finds a runaway golden retriever, and learns that the dog can sink baskets. It’s set in the fictional town of Fernfield, Washington. Charles Martin Smith directed it, and Robert and William Vince produced it for Keystone Pictures. Made for about $3 million, it opened in U.S. theatres on August 1, 1997, through Disney, and took in about $29 million. The new film is the franchise’s 15th.

What’s actually been published about the Langley side is thin. The producers say Fort Langley was home, and Wikipedia’s Fort Langley article lists the Community Hall among the village’s Air Bud locations. We couldn’t find a contemporary news story or production note that names specific scenes, so we’re not going to guess which gym, school or field was used. If you were an extra or remember the shoot, we’d love to hear it.

Air Bud Returns (2025)

Cineverse and Air Bud Entertainment announced the reboot on July 24, 2025. Robert Vince, who produced the first one, wrote and directed it. In this story a boy named Jacob moves with his mom into his father’s childhood home in Fernfield, and a basketball-loving golden retriever finds him. The cast includes Aydin Artis, Tracy Ifeachor, Edwin Lee Gibson and Tyler Labine. Two goldens, Charlie and Summer, share the role of Buddy.

The YVRShoots tracker listed Fort Langley filming from October 1 to November 21, 2025, after a summer start slipped. Wikipedia records principal photography starting October 9 and wrapping November 15. The release has moved too: first announced for summer 2026, it’s now scheduled for January 22, 2027 in U.S. theatres.

So if Glover Road looked busier than usual last October, that’s probably why.

The Buddies in Langley City

The franchise also used the City. The Air Bud spin-off Super Buddies (2013) is on a Langley Advance Times list of films shot in and around downtown Langley. A 2019 photo in the paper shows the corner of 56 Avenue and 203 Street dressed as a Galaxy Burger restaurant for it.

Visiting Fernfield

You don’t need a ticket. Fort Langley’s main street is public, and the Community Hall on Glover Road is the obvious photo stop. It has also been a town hall in Once Upon a Time, Riverdale and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 too. Bring the dog if you like; just leash it and skip the slam dunks.

More: movies filmed in Langley · the Fort Langley village guide