Golden Moment: Charlie & Summer Crowned Winners of The Search for the Next Air Bud

Two Golden Retrievers Chosen From Thousands to Star in Air Bud Returns, Coming to Theaters Fall 2026

LOS ANGELES – September 23, 2025 – 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.

“The Search for the Next Air Bud has been an incredible journey,” said Robert Vince, Writer/Director of Air Bud Returns. “We weren’t just looking for well-trained dogs — we were looking for that special spark. 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 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. The film is slated for a theatrical release in Fall 2026 by Cineverse(Nasdaq: CNVS), a next-generation entertainment studio.

The Air Bud franchise has been a global family favorite for more than 25 years, spanning 14 films and multiple series, generating more than $500 million in revenue and over one billion views worldwide. 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.

Fans can follow Charlie and Summer’s journey from backyard hopefuls to big screen stars at returns.airbud.com and on Instagram at @airbudofficial.

About Cineverse Motion Pictures Group

Cineverse super-serves passionate audiences by distributing content across all windows and platforms, from theatrical to digital to physical. Following the breakout box office success of Terrifier 3, and August 2025 release of The Toxic Avenger, additional upcoming titles include the theatrical franchise returns of Silent Night, Deadly Night(December 12, 2025) and Return to Silent Hill (January 23, 2026). Also on Cineverse’s slate is Wolf Creek: Legacy and the company’s first kids and family theatrical release, Air Bud Returns.

About Cineverse

Cineverse (Nasdaq: CNVS) is a next-generation entertainment studio that empowers creators and entertains fans with a wide breadth of content through the power of technology. It has developed a new blueprint for delivering entertainment experiences to passionate audiences and results for its partners with unprecedented efficiency, and distributes more than 71,000 premium films, series, and podcasts. Cineverse connects fans with bold, authentic, independent stories. Properties include the highest-grossing unrated film in U.S. history; dozens of streaming fandom channels; a premier podcast network; top horror destination Bloody Disgusting; and more. Powering visionary storytelling with cutting-edge innovation, Cineverse’s proprietary streaming tools and AI technology drive revenue and reach to redefine the next era of entertainment. For more information, visit home.cineverse.com.

About Air Bud Entertainment

Air Bud Entertainment—“We Speak Family”—has spent over 28 years creating heartwarming family films that delight audiences of all ages around the globe. Based in Malibu and Vancouver, ABE is known for its blending of positive messages, unique storytelling, and animals as central characters. Air Bud movies include 14 franchises: Air Bud, Air Buddies, Santa Paws (distributed by Disney), with six movies and four series: Pup Academy, Scaredy Cats, Super PupZ with Netflix. Air Bud Returns will mark the 50th movie produced by founder Robert Vince.