DreamWorks-Universal’s animated feature Forgotten Island is set for a September 25 release, marking a milestone as the first feature-length animated film by a major production company inspired by Filipino culture and mythology. Helmed by Januel Mercado and Joel Crawford, the movie features a voice cast including H.E.R., Liza Soberano, and Lea Salonga.
Hollywood is experiencing a landmark moment for representation. Just as Lea Salonga made history as the first Filipina to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the Eric Bauza-voiced “Coyote vs Acme” crossed $65 million worldwide, surpassing what Ketchup Entertainment paid to acquire it and the tax write-off Warner Bros. would have shelved it for, the spotlight is shifting toward DreamWorks-Universal’s Forgotten Island
ahead of Filipino American History Month in October. Set against the backdrop of the Philippines in the 1990s, the film follows best friends Jo and Raissa as they discover the magical, monster-inhabited island of Nakali and set off on one final adventure before Raissa moves to America to attend college.
Bringing the 1990s Philippines to Life Through Animation
Forgotten Island’ Welcomes Newcomers to Filipino Culture Like It’s
The project is helmed by DreamWorks veterans Januel Mercado and Joel Crawford, who previously teamed up on the Academy Award-nominated Puss In Boots: The Last Wish.
Speaking at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where the creators spoke to a packed crowd about the film, Crawford described the movie as a love letter to Filipino culture, noting that the old adage is to write what you know, but they wrote who you know. Behind the camera, the production utilized a Manila-based 2D animation team from Snipple Animation that added a layer of anime to proceedings. Crawford noted that Snipple’s distinct style is inspired by 2D anime, reminding viewers of “Dragon Ball Z,” which uses the same inspiration.
Maintaining cultural authenticity served as a foundational rule for the filmmakers. While Mercado is Filipino and grew up with the culture, Crawford is not Filipino, though his wife is. Crawford explained that being invited in by Filipinos his whole life weighed heavily on the way they told the story, serving almost as an advantage for an audience not familiar with the culture, Tagalog, or mythology. Crawford compared the viewing experience to being treated like family at a Filipino family party, where nobody explains every food or talks about karaoke, but visitors are welcomed in and drop in while leaning in to get context clues.
An All-Star Voice Cast and Folklore Creatures
Forgotten Island' Team Talk Filipino Culture & Casting Lea
The voice cast bridges international and homegrown Filipino talent. R&B star H.E.R. stars as Jo, a casting choice sparked after Mercado watched an interview where the musician was trying all kinds of Filipino food and geeking out eating balut. Liza Soberano stars alongside her as Raissa, a role that Soberano shared she related to because they were at parallel points in their lives, leaving the Philippines and looking to develop their careers in America. Meanwhile, Disney legend Lea Salonga—who voiced Princess Jasmine in “Aladdin” and Fa Mulan in “Mulan”—trades her heroic animated roots, as Mercado explained that she ain’t no hero in our movie
because she plays the Dreaded Manananggal, one of many creatures in the film based on Filipino folklore.
The cast also features prominent names like Jo Koy and Manny Jacinto, alongside non-Filipino actors such as Dave Franco. Franco voices Raww the weredog, approaching the role with energy and excitement to learn cultural touchstones. Mercado praised Franco for putting effort and passion into Tagalog words, noting that if a line had Tagalog, Franco would ask how to pronounce it and nail it pretty fast.
Specificity as a Superpower in Modern Animation
Securing the greenlight from Universal and DreamWorks required trust built from past successes like Puss In Boots: The Last Wish.
After sharing the script and hosting early screenings, one executive lauded how relatable the story is and stated that the movie’s superpower is in its specificity.
That commitment shows in the narrative approach, which included native accents and Tagalog words without English translations. The writer-director duo leaned into that relatable specificity, utilizing elements like Raww the weredog, which relates to a lot of cultures via the werewolf arch.
