'Dolphin Tale 2' Hits Theaters with Amazing 'Hope'

CLEARWATER, FLa. - Millions fell in love with Winter, a dolphin with the prosthetic tail. She lost her own tail not long after Florida's Clearwater Marine Aquarium rescued her from a crab trap.

"Dolphin Tale" made big waves at the box office in 2011, earning nearly $40 million in less than two weeks. Now, Winter's story has inspired a sequel, "Dolphin Tale 2," in theaters now, which follows another real life dolphin drama.

Charles Martin Smith is the filmmaker who first brought Winter's story to the big screen, shining a light on what was once a struggling aquarium and animal hospital.

He invited CBN News to the set as he shot the movies final scenes. There, Smith talked about the surprise success of the first tale and its impact on the Clearwater community.

"I knew we were making a good film and I thought it would touch people," Smith told CBN News. "I guess I really didn't understand how deeply. And that has been really gratifying to me."

In the years since "Dolphin Tale's" release, the film has gone from an inspiring film to a life-changing film. In fact, many couldn't imagine returning to shoot a "Dolphin Tale 2."

Actor Harry Connick, Jr. is among the members of the returning cast.

"I thought it was a joke when they said they want to do a sequel. Like, what story is there to tell? You know Winter has a prosthetic tale and she ends up having an incredible quality of life and that is the end of the story," Connick told CBN News.

"But they send me the script and it is like Charles Martin Smith, the evil genius, he has done it again," he said.

"Dolphin Tale 2" is ripped from the pages of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The very night the team wrapped production of the first film, they found themselves rescuing another ailing dolphin. 

They named the new dolphin Hope. And following the amazing rescue, the aquarium's team treats Hope and struggles to pair her with Winter, who is now suffering with a few growing pains of her own.

Actor Morgan Freeman is also back in "Dolphin Tale 2" playing the role of Dr. Cameron McCarthy, the doctor who built Winter's first prosthetic tail.

Freeman joked with CBN News about being the film's "wisdom character" and resident "wise guy."

"Most of the wise guy part is me. I am like old enough to claim some wisdom. But I am not sure about that. Wise guy, yeah," he said.

The children, actors Nathan Gamble and Cozi Zuehlsdorff, are also back for the second helping of "Dolphin Tale." They are older, wiser, and even more in love with the dolphins.

Both Gamble and Zuehlsdorff discussed what it was like to spend so many hours and days swimming with the animals.

"It's so much fun. It is so magical in a way because those dolphins are such majestic creatures," Gamble said. "And I was thinking about this last night, actually last night, because when you are with the dolphin it is very loud because there are people talking. But when you go under the water it is very calm, it is very peaceful, really fun."

"Both of the dolphins are so majestic and gentle and it was incredible to have that experience long term," Zuehlsdorff told CBN News. "Most people who get to swim with dolphins, it may be an hour or so. Just to be able to work for several hours every day was such an honor."

Just like the first tale, the animals in "Dolphin Tale 2" are the reals stars of the film. The award-winning actors are merely the supporting cast.

Actress Ashley Judd, who reprises her role as Lorraine Nelson in the film, recalled her observances of Winter during the production.

"Winter, if we weren't paying attention to her, she would make noise and be distracting and try to solicit to get us to pay attention to her," Judd explained. "And she has a whole repertoire of behaviors that she would use to do that, including making significant fart sounds through her blow hole. And we would look at her, and it worked, you know."

What about the possibility of a third Dolphin Tale?

"I would say I certainly hope so," Judd said. "And I know the animals provide enough natural drama that there certainly be another great story."