TideBreakers welcomes CGI whales in Free Willy remake and invites Warner Bros. Pictures to join the fight to end captive whale and dolphin breeding worldwide.

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, July 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- TideBreakers welcomes Warner Bros.' Pictures reported decision to use computer-generated whales rather than live captive animals in the upcoming remake of the Free Willy film. This choice demonstrates how modern filmmaking can tell powerful stories while respecting the welfare of the animals that inspire them.

For decades, Free Willy has symbolized hope, freedom, and the enduring bond between humans and whales. The original film inspired millions of people around the world to think differently about marine mammals and their place in the wild. Today's audiences expect that same spirit of compassion to extend beyond the screen and into the production itself.

By choosing visual effects instead of using captive whales, Warner Bros. has taken an important step that reflects both technological innovation and growing public awareness of animal welfare. TideBreakers applauds this decision and hopes it will become the standard across the global film industry.
However, the message of Free Willy presents an even greater opportunity.

TideBreakers respectfully calls on the filmmakers behind the new production to partner with our organization in promoting a global commitment to ending the captivity of whales and dolphins for entertainment globally. This remake is an opportunity to become a catalyst for meaningful conservation and animal welfare action around the world.

TideBreakers also encourages the production team to publicly support an end to the breeding of whales and dolphins in captivity. Continuing to breed highly intelligent, socially complex marine mammals for lives spent in artificial, concrete environments is out of step with public expectations and modern understanding of cetacean welfare. Phasing out captive breeding would represent a significant step toward ending the cycle of lifelong confinement for future generations and it would be a fitting tribute to the movie.

"Globally there are over 50 orca whales held in captivity, to perform for the public's entertainment. Two of them Keijo and his mother Wikie, are held in a deteriorating conditions in a shuttered marine park in Antibes in France." said Jana Richardson from TideBreakers,. "Dolphins are used for 'experiential swims' all over thr world, includig in shallow swimming pools in Mexcio on a property rented to third party by Hyatt hotels . There are over 30 beluga whales in a closed marine park in Canada. Enough is enough, we need to end the breeding of captive whales and dolphins, and let this industry die out once and for all."

Around the world, attitudes toward marine mammal entertainment are changing. More countries, government's, institutions, and the public recognize that whales and dolphins belong in healthy oceans rather than performing in tanks. By embracing this vision, the new Free Willy movie has the opportunity to reinforce the values that made the original story so influential.

"The story of Free Willy has always been about freedom," said Marketa Schusterova of TideBreakers. "We applaud Warner Bros. for demonstrating that extraordinary storytelling does not require the use of captive animals. We now invite the filmmakers to help write the next chapter of this legacy by standing alongside TideBreakers in calling for an end to the captivity and captive breeding of whales and dolphins for entertainment worldwide."

TideBreakers looks forward to engaging with Warner Bros. and the creative team behind Free Willy to explore opportunities that celebrate marine life while advancing a future where every whale and dolphin can live as nature intended—in the wild.

Marketa Schusterova
TideBreakers
+1 416-827-8617
wearetidebreakers@tidebreakers.org
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