Warner Bros. Developing 'Free Willy' Reboot With AGBO
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- Warner Bros. is developing a reimagining of the 1993 film 'Free Willy' with AGBO, the production company founded by Anthony and Joe Russo, producing the new movie.
- Mary-Margaret Kunze and Jade Halley Bartlett have been tapped to write the screenplay for the reboot; Kunze is repped by CAA and Bartlett by UTA, both alongside Henry Huang at Heroes & Villains Entertainment.
- Angela Russo-Otstot, Michael Disco, and Kassee Whiting are set to produce the film, with the Russo brothers and Lauren Shuler Donner serving as executive producers and Courtney Baker co-producing.
- Jesse Ehrman and Cate Adams are overseeing the project on behalf of Warner Bros., the studio confirmed.
- The original 1993 'Free Willy' 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.
Why it matters: Warner Bros. is betting on nostalgia-driven IP to anchor its family-adventure slate, pairing a proven 1993 franchise (which turned a $20M budget into $153.7M global) with the Russo brothers' AGBO and a new writing duo. The move puts the studio in direct competition with Disney's ongoing wave of live-action remakes and gives AGBO a family tentpole outside its Marvel portfolio.
