Forgotten Island Brings Filipino Folklore And Friendship To The Big Screen

On September 25, 2026, American movie theaters welcomed an animated adventure that turns Filipino folklore into a large scale Hollywood fantasy. "Forgotten Island," the latest feature from DreamWorks Animation, follows two best friends whose relationship is tested after they enter the mysterious world of Nakali. Written and directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, the film combines a deeply personal story about growing apart with an imaginative world inspired by Philippine mythology and culture. For mainstream animation, its arrival is significant because Filipino characters, traditions, and legends occupy the center of the story rather than its edges.

Forgotten Island Begins With A Friendship Facing Change

At the heart of "Forgotten Island" are Jo and Raissa, childhood friends growing up in the Philippines during the 1990s. Jo is voiced by Grammy winning singer and songwriter H.E.R., while Filipino American actress Liza Soberano voices Raissa.

Their friendship reaches a turning point when Raissa prepares to leave for college in the United States. What begins as an emotional story about separation quickly transforms into fantasy when the friends discover a portal leading to Nakali, a strange island filled with creatures connected to Filipino folklore.

Their adventure soon becomes more complicated. Returning home may require sacrificing memories, forcing the characters to confront what their shared history means and whether friendship can survive major changes in their lives.

The concept gives the filmmakers an opportunity to connect a universal experience with culturally specific storytelling. Growing apart from a close friend is familiar across cultures. By placing that conflict inside a fantasy shaped by Filipino mythology, "Forgotten Island" gives the emotional journey a distinctive identity.

Filipino Folklore Moves To The Center

One of the most notable elements of "Forgotten Island" is its use of Philippine mythology. Among the creatures featured in the story is the Manananggal, one of the country's most recognizable legendary beings. Lea Salonga voices Manang, a formidable figure inspired by that tradition.

The cultural influences extend beyond mythology. The film incorporates recognizable Filipino details involving food, music, family life, language, karaoke, and traditional dance. These touches allow the fantasy world to remain connected to the everyday experiences of its characters.

For Mercado, who is Filipino American, those elements also carry personal meaning. Reuters reported that the filmmakers drew inspiration from Filipina women who played important roles in their lives. H.E.R., who has Filipino heritage, also recalled hearing stories about the Manananggal from her mother.

That connection helps distinguish the film from fantasy stories that simply borrow mythology as decoration. Here, culture is tied directly to the characters and the emotional foundation of the story.

A Voice Cast Connecting Hollywood And Filipino Talent

The cast brings together performers with backgrounds across film, television, comedy, theater, and music.

Alongside H.E.R. and Soberano, the official DreamWorks cast includes Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy, Ronny Chieng, and Lea Salonga. Crawford and Mercado serve as both writers and directors, while Mark Swift is the producer. Universal Pictures distributes the DreamWorks Animation production.

The casting is particularly notable because several performers have direct connections to Filipino culture. Salonga has spent decades representing Filipino talent internationally through music and theater, while H.E.R., Soberano, Jacinto, de Leon, and Koy bring different experiences of Filipino and Filipino American identity to the project.

That range allows "Forgotten Island" to connect its cultural setting with voices recognizable to audiences in both the United States and the Philippines.

Animation Gives Nakali Its Own Visual Identity

"Forgotten Island" also arrives during a period of experimentation in mainstream animation. Rather than relying entirely on one polished visual language, the film incorporates different textures and stylistic influences to create the unpredictable world of Nakali.

Critics have highlighted its vibrant imagery and shifts in animation style. The visual approach draws partly from anime while using the resources of a major studio production to create detailed environments and energetic action.

The result is a fantasy environment designed to feel different from the ordinary world inhabited by Jo and Raissa. Its visual intensity reflects the strange experience of entering a place where memories, myths, and emotions can take physical form.

Why Forgotten Island Matters For Film And Media

"Forgotten Island" joins a growing group of mainstream animated films that build large stories around culturally specific experiences. Its importance comes not simply from including Filipino references, but from making Filipino culture fundamental to its characters, mythology, setting, and emotional themes.

The film also demonstrates how representation can extend behind the characters audiences see on screen. Crawford and Mercado developed the story together, while the cast includes prominent Filipino and Filipino American performers. Reuters described the production as a major moment for Filipino inspired storytelling within Hollywood animation.

For audiences, however, the central idea remains simple. "Forgotten Island" is a story about two friends confronting the possibility that their lives are moving in different directions.

That emotional foundation gives its elaborate fantasy a recognizable human center. Released in U.S. theaters on September 25, 2026, "Forgotten Island" uses the scale of DreamWorks animation to introduce a wide audience to Filipino folklore while telling a story about something almost everyone understands: the memories, people, and friendships we hope not to leave behind.