# ‘Free Willy’ Reimagining Set at Warner Bros., Russo Bros’ AGBO (Exclusive)

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/free-willy-reimagining-set-at-warner-bros-russo-bros-agbo-exclusive/
- Published: 2026-07-10T14:39:41+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-11T05:13:17+00:00
- Original publisher: The Hollywood Reporter
- Original article: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/free-willy-warner-bros-russo-bros-agbo-1236641809/
- Topics: Art, Culture, Entertainment, Film

## Key points

- Warner Bros. and the Russos' AGBO are rebooting Free Willy.
- Mary-Margaret Kunze and Jade Halley Bartlett will write the script.
- It joins AGBO's slate alongside Rambo and Avengers: Doomsday.

## Summary

Warner Bros. and AGBO, the production company run by Anthony and Joe Russo, are teaming up on a reimagining of the 1993 family adventure film Free Willy. Screenwriters Mary-Margaret Kunze and Jade Halley Bartlett have been hired to write the script, bringing the story of a troubled boy who bonds with a captive orca to a new generation. The move revives one of the 1990s' most recognisable family franchises, which spanned several theatrical and home-video releases.

AGBO's Angela Russo-Otstot, Michael Disco and Kassee Whiting will produce, with the Russo brothers executive producing, while Lauren Shuler Donner and Courtney Baker co-produce; Jesse Ehrman and Cate Adams are overseeing for Warner Bros. Kunze began her career as a creative executive at Marvel Television on shows including Agents of SHIELD and Daredevil, and recently co-executive produced Netflix's The Boroughs, while Bartlett made her feature debut writing Lionsgate's Miller's Girl and created the forthcoming Netflix series Icebreaker. The project joins a busy AGBO slate that includes a Noah Centineo-led John Rambo film, the Robert De Niro thriller The Whisper Man, Marvel's Avengers: Doomsday and a third Extraction instalment.

## Coverage

- [The Hollywood Reporter: ‘Free Willy’ Reimagining Set at Warner Bros., Russo Bros’ AGBO (Exclusive)](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/free-willy-warner-bros-russo-bros-agbo-1236641809/)
- [Variety: u2018Free Willyu2019 Reboot in the Works at Warner Bros.](https://variety.com/2026/film/news/free-willy-reboot-warner-bros-1236805831/)
- [Deadline: Warner Bros. & AGBOu2019s u2018Free Willyu2019 Reimagining Taps Mary-Margaret Kunze & Jade Halley Bartlett To Pen Screenplay](https://deadline.com/2026/07/free-willy-reimagining-writers-warner-bros-agbo-1236978619/)

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.