Harry Connick Jr, Ashley Judd and Morgan Freeman will return for Alcon’s Dolphin Tale 2 following the $72m North American success of the original family drama in 2011 through Warner Bros.

Alcon co-CEOs Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson made the announcement on Friday [26].

Kris Kristofferson, Nathan Gamble and Cozi Zuehlsdorff will also reprise their roles from the original [pictured] while Charles Martin Smith is back to direct and wrote the screenplay.

Alcon president of worldwide marketing Richard Ingber will once again serve as producer and brought the original, fact-based property to the company.

Dolphin Tale 2 will centre on a rescued baby dolphin named Hope who was rehabilitated by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium in 2010. The original dolphin Winter will also return.

Filming is scheduled to commence in Clearwater, Florida in October. Warner Bros has earmarked a Sept 19, 2014 release.