A reimagining of the classic ’90s family adventure ‘Free Willy’ is in the works with a screenplay by Mary-Margaret Kunze and Jade Halley Bartlett. The project marks a continuation of the beloved franchise, bringing in new creative voices to update the story for today’s audiences.According to THR, the production is helmed by a production company co-founded by filmmakers Anthony and Joe Russo; this project marks their latest venture into family-oriented storytelling. The creative team tapped Kunze and Bartlett, known for their work on films including ‘Miller’s Girl’ and ‘Icebreaker,’ to bring their sensibilities to the reimagined story.
Cultural impact and legacy of the original film
The first ‘Free Willy’ movie, released in 1993, proved to be a worldwide sensation about an orphaned boy befriending a captive orca. It made a worldwide gross of $153.7 million on a $20 million budget, proving the concept was commercially viable. The film’s iconic theme song reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and achieved platinum status, extending the franchise’s cultural reach beyond cinema.
The reimagining aims to honour the original film’s legacy while introducing its timeless story to today’s viewers.Image credit (X)​
‘Free Willy’ spawned multiple theatrical sequels, an animated television series, and direct-to-video continuations. The original film, which starred an orca named Keiko, also achieved broader cultural significance by dispelling myths about killer whales and inspiring activism around issues of animal captivity.
The screenwriters’ credentials and track record
Kunze and Bartlett are creative partners operating under a production banner. In 2024, Bartlett made her directorial debut with a film she also wrote and directed, with Kunze producing. The screenplay, which Bartlett adapted from her original play, was featured on an industry screenwriting list in 2016, and Bartlett herself made the list in 2017 with another script. Most recently, she created a streaming series based on a novel by Hannah Grace.
Screenwriters Mary-Margaret Kunze and Jade Halley Bartlett are bringing a fresh vision to the next chapter of the beloved family franchise.Image credit (X)​
Kunze most recently served as a non-writing co-executive producer on a series from acclaimed creators. Her resume also includes serving as a non-writing executive producer on multiple projects, as well as a term as a creative executive at a major entertainment company where she co-produced multiple series including work in the superhero television space.The reimagined ‘Free Willy’ represents an opportunity to bring the beloved family adventure franchise to new audiences while maintaining the environmental and animal welfare themes that defined the original film’s cultural significance. Jesse Ehrman and Cate Adams are overseeing the project on behalf of Warner Bros. , which is developing the reboot.
