In 1997, the first Air Bud film was released, and the role of the main character was brought to life by Buddy, a gorgeous Golden Retriever. There were other Air Bud movies, such as Air Bud: Golden Receiver or Air Bud: World Pup, and so on (six in total). But next year (2026) in the summer or fall, we’re getting the reboot: Air Bud Returns and with it two new movie stars: Charlie and Summer.
Meet The Stars
Air Bud Entertainment, the director Robert Vince, and Mark Forbes, the animal trainer, searched for the perfect Golden Retriever all across the States. There were over 5.000 auditions looking for the chance to play one of the most bellowed roles since the late 90s.
They managed to narrow it down to 30 finalists, but they needed only 2! And, finally, the team selected two Golden Retrievers called Charlie and Summer. They embody the energy and charisma of the original Air Bud, and are ready to go through the training process.
Charlie from Ohio and Summer from San Diego are the new Air Bud stars.
The filming began in Vancouver, Canada, in October this year, and the movie will be released next year in the summer or fall. Before they make their big-screen debut in Air Bud Returns, professional animal trainers will train both canine stars.
If you are interested in their amazing basketball (and volleyball) skills, you can check the videos below, and you can find them on their Instagram accounts: charlie.the.goldenretriever1 and golden_summer_2020
What Is The New Movie About?
After moving to a new town, a young boy of twelve, who is dealing with grief, finds his dad’s old VHS tape, which leads him to become friends with a stray golden retriever. Working together, they strive to achieve their basketball dreams, unite a team of unexpected players, and ultimately find out the real meaning of playing with everything they’ve got.
We are very excited about the movie, and while we eagerly anticipate its release, I will keep you informed about any news, training updates, or general posts I discover online regarding the film and its stars, Charlie and Summer.
