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Free Willy is a media franchise from Warner Bros. that started with the 1993 film Free Willy that went on to become a sleeper hit at the box office. The original series primarily follows a street kid named Jesse who befriends an orca named Willy and eventually develops a strong connection. While trying to juggle his newly found life, he and Willy are challenged with overcoming or defeating various hazards to the ocean or Willy himself including corporate greed, hunters, poachers, and oil disasters.

Following the success of Free Willy, it was followed by an animated series, two sequels, and a direct-to-video reboot.

Films

Free Willy (1993)

A delinquent orphan named Jesse is forced to clean up graffiti at the Northwest Adventure Park as part of his probation while staying with new foster parents. There, he becomes attached to a captive killer whale, the film's eponymous "Willy", until he discovers a secret from the park's greedy owner that threatens their friendship.

Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995)

Two years after setting him free, Jesse reunites with Willy during a camping trip in the San Juan Islands with the Greenwoods and newly-discovered half-brother named Elvis as the teenager tries to help Willy and his siblings Luna and Littlespot return to their mother Catspaw after an oil spill separated them in addition to endangering Luna.

Free Willy 3: The Rescue (1997)

Jesse now works with his old friend Randolph at an orca institute where he tracks down Willy and his mate Nicky, and also teams up with Max to stop the latter's father from hunting the whales.

Free Willy: Escape from Pirate's Cove (2010)

Kirra discovers a baby killer whale washed ashore in the lagoon near her grandfather's rundown seaside amusement park during her stay in South Africa. She names the orca Willy and embarks on a quest to lead him back to his pod before he's sold.

Television

Free Willy (1994 - 1995)

Cast and crew

Cast

This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in more than two films in the series.

• An empty grey cell indicates the character was not in the film, or that the character's official presence has not yet been confirmed.
•   indicates an uncredited appearance.
•   indicates a voice-only role.

Crew

Reception

Box office performance

Critical and public response

References

1. "Free Willy (1993)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
2. "Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home (1995)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
3. "Free Willy 3: The Rescue (1997)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
4. "CinemaScore". CinemaScore. Archived from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
5. "Free Willy". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
6. "Free Willy". Metacritic. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
7. "Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 12, 2020.
8. "Free Willy 3: The Rescue". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 12, 2020.

External links

• Free Willy at IMDb 
• The Adventure Home at IMDb 
• The Rescue at IMDb 
• Escape From Pirate's Cove at IMDb 

• Film series introduced in 1993
• Adventure film series
• Children's film series
• Film franchises
• American film series
• Fiction about orcas
• Amusement parks in fiction
• Warner Bros. Pictures franchises
• Free Willy (franchise)