Air Bud Returns Movie (2026) - Winner Announcement

Air Bud Returns Movie (2026) - Winner Announcement - Air Bud Entertainment today announced that two Golden Retrievers — Charlie and Summer — have been selected as the winners of The Search for the Next Air Bud, a nationwide casting event that captured the hearts of dog lovers across the country.

The search invited Golden Retriever families nationwide to audition their dogs for a chance to take on one of the most beloved canine roles in film history: Buddy, the basketball-playing Golden Retriever who became a household name in the original Air Bud films. After narrowing thousands of submissions down to 30 finalists, and then four, our team selected Charlie and Summer as the two Goldens who best embody Buddy’s athleticism, charm, and heart.

Charlie and Summer will undergo training with professional animal trainers before making their big-screen debut in Air Bud Returns, which begins filming October 1, 2025, in Vancouver, Canada.

With Air Bud Returns, the story comes full circle — reintroducing Buddy to a new generation while celebrating the nostalgia of families who grew up with him.