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DREAMWORKS 'Forgotten Island' aims for a September 25 premiere. |
Get ready to mark your calendars because September 25, 2026, is shaping up to be a historic day for Pinoy representation on the big screen! DreamWorks Animation is officially bringing Forgotten Island to theaters.
It’s not all laughs. The directors are focusing on the deep emotional toll of their protagonists' journey. Jo and Raissa must face a heartbreaking trade-off: their way home might cost them their most precious shared memories and emotions.
The animated feature is not just another animated flick—it’s a deep dive into the rich, mystical tapestry of Philippine mythology.
Directed by the talented Filipino American filmmaker Januel Mercado (who recently wowed us with Puss in Boots: The Last Wish), the film is a "party comedy adventure" that transports us to the magical, long-lost island of Nakali.
A Star-Studded Pinoy voice cast
The lineup for this project is absolutely stacked with some of our favorite voices: H.E.R. (aka Gabriela Sarmiento Wilson), who voices Jo and Liza Soberano, who voices Raissa, — two lifelong best friends whose bond is tested when they become stranded on Nakali.
The legendary Lea Salonga joins the cast alongside Manny Jacinto, Dave Franco, and Jenny Slate.
Directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado (the creative powerhouses who gave us Puss in Boots: The Last Wish), the vision for Forgotten Island is a bold step forward for Filipino visibility in global animation. For Mercado, a Filipino American filmmaker making his feature directorial debut, this is a chance to put our ancestral stories front and center.
A new mythological frontier
The directors are crafting a world that isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a living, breathing tribute to Philippine folklore. Their vision for the island of Nakali is rooted in the "lost" magic of Filipino legends, designed to bring mystical creatures to a global stage for the first time.
They describe it as a "broad party comedy adventure."
Think of the chaotic energy of a classic road trip movie, but set in a magical realm where every turn could lead to an encounter with spirits from our own history.
It’s not all laughs. The directors are focusing on the deep emotional toll of their protagonists' journey. Jo and Raissa must face a heartbreaking trade-off: their way home might cost them their most precious shared memories and emotions.
This emotional core will be set against a backdrop of mystical creatures and deities that define the Filipino imagination—think of the potential for seeing Diwatas (forest spirits), Anitos (ancestral spirits), or even the majestic Bathala represented on a global stage.
Mercado explicitly highlighted Filipino family dynamics and trust as primary influences on the film's character relationships. The central bond between lifelong best friends Jo and Raissa reflects the "found family" concept often seen in Filipino culture, where friends are treated as siblings (kapatid).
The film’s central conflict—having to potentially sacrifice a lifetime of memories to get home—hits especially hard for the Filipino diaspora wherein millions of Filipinos leave family at home and travel to foreign lands to support the family. It explores the value of relational history and the idea that losing your shared past with someone is like losing a piece of your soul.
This is a huge milestone for cultural representation in Hollywood. For the first time, a major studio is putting Filipino stories front and center, giving our ancient legends the "DreamWorks treatment."
EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news, views and chismis from an AANHPI perspective, follow me on Threads, on X, BlueSky or at the blog Views From the Edge.
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