'Soul Surfer' Bethany Hamilton to Star in 'Dolphin Tale 2'

By Vincent Funaro, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Soul Surfer star Bethany Hamilton has signed on to star in the new film "Dolphin Tale 2."

The new movie is a sequel to the original "Dolphin Tale" released in 2011 which starred Harry Connick Jr., Morgan Freeman, Kris Kristofferson, Ashley Judd and Nathan Gamble. The first film's screenwriter Charles Martin has also penned the sequel.

"'Dolphin Tale 2' tells another true story inspired by the life of the rescued bottle nose dolphin, Winter- the star of 'Dolphin Tale'- this time involving the real-life, new baby dolphin Hope, who was also saved and rehabilitated by the Clearwater Marine Aquarium," wrote Warner Bros. in the press release.

Hamilton will play herself in the film. Her life story is a source of inspiration for many. At age 13 she was bitten by a 14-foot tiger shark while surfing off Kauai's North Shore, leaving her with a severed arm. Hamilton returned to surfing just one month after the attack and defied the odds by winning a national title and eventually becoming a professional surfer.

Hamilton's story was penned into an autobiography titled "Soul Surfer" that was eventually made into a major motion picture that starred AnnaSophia Robb, Helen Hunt and Dennis Quiad. She also has written eight additional books and surfs professionally to this day.

Filming of "Dolphin Tale 2" has already started in Clearwater, Florida. Warner Bros. Pictures will distributed the movie and it is expected to be released on Sept. 19, 2014. The film is being created by Alcon Entertainment.

The company's most recent film "Prisoners" received a positive reaction from critics and stars Denis Villeneuve, Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhall, Viola Davis, Maria Bello, Terrence Howard, Melissa Leo, Paul Dano. It was released in theaters on Sept. 20.