‘Air Bud Returns’ Talent Search Ends with 2 Golden Retrievers Winning Buddy Role
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NEED TO KNOW
- Two golden retrievers — named Charlie and Summer — have won “The Search for the Next Air Bud” nationwide auditions
- They will star in Air Bud Returns, the sequel to 1997’s Air Bud
- “We couldn’t just choose one,” director Robert Vince said of the canine costars of the film, which is slated to come out in fall 2026
More than 5,000 dogs shot their shot in the nationwide talent search to star as the basketball-playing pooch in the sequel to 1997’s Air Bud.
Two golden retrievers — named Charlie and Summer — will costar as Buddy, the titular character in the upcoming Air Bud Returns sequel after winning “The Search for the Next Air Bud” auditions.
Air Bud Entertainment whittled the thousands of submitted dogs to 30 finalists before choosing a final four. Then, the two winners were selected.
In a YouTube video showing off some of Charlie and Summer’s skills, director Robert Vince elaborated on the selection process and the winners.
“We weren’t just looking for well-trained dogs — we were looking for that special spark,” said Vince, who is also writing Air Bud Returns, which is slated to arrive in theaters in fall 2026.
Vince continued, “Charlie and Summer had the presence, the personality, and yes, the basketball skills to make audiences believe in Buddy all over again. They carry the magic that made the original so unforgettable.”
Charlie is from Ohio, and Summer is from California.
“We couldn’t just choose one,” Vince emphasized. “Your golden retriever will carry on the legacy of the original Air Bud. Congratulations!”
Air Bud Returns will follow 12-year-old Jacob and a golden retriever.
The film’s synopsis reads: “After the passing of his father, that dream felt even more impossible. But everything changes when he and his mom move into his dad’s childhood home in Fernfield.”
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“There, Jacob discovers an original VHS of the Air Bud movie in his father’s belongings and has a chance meeting with a neglected golden retriever he names Buddy. Together, they embark on a journey of healing, unite a team of misfits, and chase a championship,” the synopsis concludes.
Cineverse’s Air Bud Returns — which begins filming Oct. 1 in Vancouver, Canada — is scheduled for a fall 2026 theatrical release.
Credit to Nypost AND Peoples
