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, who ...

Keiko was a real killer whale who played Willy (Picture: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock) Even if you have never seen the 1993 film Free Willy, about an orphaned boy who ...

We all remember that tear-jerking final scene in Free Willy, when the titular whale makes a big, inspiring jump to freedom. As with most Hollywood movie moments, however, the moment was far less ...

On July 16, 1993, Warner Bros. unveiled the family drama in theaters. By Duane Byrge On July 16, 1993, Warner Bros. unveiled the drama Free Willy in theaters, where it would go on to gross $154 ...

If you were a kid during the early ’90s, just hearing the words Free Willy conjures up an immediate mental picture of the film’s climactic moment. As Jason James Richter‘s character finally fulfills ...

It was one of the most unconventional friendships of all time, yet it somehow stole our hearts. Yes, we are talking about the hit 1993 movie Free Willy, which follows an orphan named Jesse (Jason ...

Jason James Richter with Keiko in the iconic moment from 1993's Free Willy. (Alamy) Dinosaurs weren’t the only animals escaping theme parks 30 years ago. Keiko the killer whale did the same in 1993's ...

Folks at Sea World call their aquatic playgrounds amusement parks. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) calls them abusement parks. The environmental question of whether sea creatures ...

Our Flick of the Week is “Free Willy,” which is as simple-minded a love story as “Sleepless in Seattle,” this time with a boy in the troubled Meg Ryan role and the tortured Tom Hanks character played ...