‘Free Willy’ Reboot in the Works at Warner Bros.

Jul 9, 2026 10:42am PT

Mary-Margaret Kunze & Jade Halley Bartlett will reimagine the family franchise with a film produced by Anthony & Joe Russo's AGBO

Warner Bros. is developing a reimaging of the ’90s family adventure “Free Willy,” produced by Anthony and Joe Russo’s AGBO.

The team has tapped Mary-Margaret Kunze & Jade Halley Bartlett to write a screenplay for the new movie.

Released in 1993, “Free Willy,” about an orphaned boy who befriends a killer whale, became a global phenomenon. The film grossed $153.7 million worldwide on a $20 million budget, and spawned multiple theatrical sequels, an animated television series, and a direct-to-video continuation.

AGBO’s Angela Russo-Otstot, Michael Disco and Kassee Whiting will produce the film with executive producers including the Russo brothers and Lauren Shuler Donner. Courtney Baker is co-producing. Jesse Ehrman and Cate Adams are overseeing the project on behalf of the studio.

Kunze is repped by CAA and Henry Huang at Heroes & Villains Entertainment, and Bartlett is repped by UTA and Henry Hunag at Heroes & Villains Entertainment.

THR first reported news of the developing project.

More to come…

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