Free Willy was released on July 16, 1993. The poignant film became an instant hit as it followed a young boy's attempts to save a captive whale. Directed by Simon Wincer, the movie starred Jason ...

Researchers find that the star of 'Free Willy' should not have been released. April 28, 2009— -- Willy was never really free. The killer whale star of the Hollywood movie Free Willy had to be ...

Free Willy made more than $150 million when it was released in 1993, and spawned two sequels, 1995's Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home and Free Willy 3: The Rescue. Richter starred in all three films.

Well, sometimes real life follows fiction. Somehow, the true story of Free Willy is wilder and more inspirational than the movie. After the film became a hit, fans […] ...

The jump scene in "Free Willy" was accomplished by strapping an animatronic whale to a rocket launcher. Director Simon Wincer recalled the process in a new interview with The Guardian. Lori Petty ...

“Free Willy” was released 30 years ago. Almost immediately, the movie spurred a nationwide effort to free its real-life star, the killer whale Keiko, from a lonely life in a cramped tank.

FREE WILLY -- Today at 10:30 a.m. A boy befriends a killer whale at a sea park and helps it return to the ocean in this 1993 film. Avalon Theatre, 5612 Connecticut Ave. NW. $5, ages 2 and younger ...

NEED TO KNOW Michael Madsen, who played Glen in Free Willy, died on Thursday, July 3, 2025, at 67 Costar Jason James Richter remembered sharing fun times and making memories with the actor as he ...