It grew into a small franchise, including an animated television series, two sequels, and a direct-to-video reboot in addition to inspiring the rehabilitation and release of Keiko.

To evade police in pursuit later that night, he and Perry break into the adventure park's observation area unaware that they triggered an alarm.

Jesse's social worker, Dwight Mercer, informs him that his new foster parents, Glen and Annie Greenwood, would be happy to take him in.

To avoid being sent to juvenile hall if he flees again, Jesse is allowed to make up for his vandalism by cleaning and repainting the observation area.

Park owner Dial sees Jesse and Willy's talent in hopes of finally making money from the orca, who has thus far been a costly venture for him.

Jesse, unable to get him to do tricks while dealing with pressure from spectators, tearfully storms off and plans to find his mother despite Dwight affirming that she does not want him.

The discovery is interrupted when park manager Wade and some colleagues sneak into the observation area to deliberately damage the spot where Willy smashed the tank so that the water will leak out.

After a brief stop at a car wash to wet Willy more, Glen drives the truck to Dawson's Marina, where Dial, Wade, and their men have assembled at the gates to halt them.

On the breakwater, Jesse recites a Haida prayer Randolph had taught him through the story of Natsilane, before giving Willy the signal to jump.

Willy makes the jump over and lands in the ocean on the other side, free to return to his pod, while a dismayed Dial and Wade can only watch.

Additionally, Moultrie Patten and Ed Murphy play two homeless men at the car wash station where the former makes a compliment to Randolph after seeing Willy getting sprayed.

The project first originated in 1984 when Keith A. Walker conceived of the story while working on The Goonies with the film's director Richard Donner, who would eventually serve as one of the executive producers for Free Willy.

Afterward, its rank in the box office began to gradually decline, with the exception of a three-day weekend (September 3 to 6), in which gross revenue increased by 33.6%.

[7] The site's critics consensus reads: "Free Willy tugs at the heartstrings skillfully enough to leap above the rising tide of sentimentality that threatens to drown its formulaic family-friendly story".

[9] The film received a negative review from Gene Siskel, who said he had "a problem with the whale as a creature to be loved" since "[its] eyes are so set far apart you can't even see them.

Michael Jackson wrote, produced and performed "Will You Be There", taken from his 1991 album Dangerous, which can be heard during the end credits (without the orchestral prelude and interlude).

[24] His subsequent return to humans for food and for company, and his inability to integrate with a pod of orcas confirms that the project had failed according to a scientific study published in the journal Marine Mammal Science (July 2009).

[26] Reasons cited for Keiko's failure to adapt include his early age at capture, the long history of captivity, prolonged lack of contact with other orcas, and strong bonds with humans.