Warner Bros. Announces Free Willy Reimagining with AGBO

Warner Bros. Pictures is moving forward with a new film reimagining of the 1990s family adventure "Free Willy," with the production company AGBO, founded by directors Anthony and Joe Russo, attached to produce. The studio has hired screenwriters MaryMargaret Kunze and Jade Halley Bartlett to pen the screenplay for the project, which aims to reintroduce the story of a boy and a captive orca whale to a new generation.

The original "Free Willy" was released in 1993 and became a global box office success, earning $153.7 million worldwide against a $20 million budget. The film starred Jason James Richter as a troubled orphan who forms a deep bond with a whale named Willy at a marine park and ultimately works to free him. The orca was played by Keiko, whose story helped shift public perception of the species and galvanized activism against keeping them in captivity. The film spawned two theatrical sequels, an animated television series, and a direct-to-video movie.

For the new iteration, AGBO's Angela Russo-Otstot, Michael Disco, and Kassee Whiting will produce. Executive producers include Anthony and Joe Russo, alongside Lauren Shuler Donner, who has been involved with the franchise...