A reimagining of the classic 90s family adventure ‘Free Willy’ is in the works with a script by Mary-Margaret Kunze and Jade Halley Bartlett. The project marks a continuation of the beloved franchise, bringing new creative voices to update the story for today’s audiences.According to THR, the production is directed by a production company co-founded by filmmakers Anthony and Joe Russo; this project marks his latest adventure in family storytelling. The creative team tapped Kunze and Bartlett, known for their work on films like “Miller’s Girl” and “Icebreaker,” to bring their sensibilities to the reimagined story.
Cultural impact and legacy of the original film
The first film ‘Free Willy’, released in 1993, turned out to be a worldwide sensation about an orphaned boy who befriended a captive killer whale. It grossed $153.7 million worldwide on a $20 million budget, proving that the concept was commercially viable. The film’s iconic theme song reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and achieved platinum status, expanding the franchise’s cultural reach beyond cinema.
The credentials and career of the screenwriters
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 script, which Bartlett adapted from her original play, appeared on an industry list of screenwriters in 2016, and Bartlett herself made the list in 2017 with another script. Most recently, he created a streaming series based on a novel by Hannah Grace.