DreamWorks Animation’s “Forgotten Island” lifted its review embargo on September 21 to a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, positioning the studio’s 50th animated feature film and first major Hollywood production built around Filipino mythology for a wide theatrical release on September 25 backed by the kind of critical consensus that rarely greets an original animated property.
Key Takeaways
- “Forgotten Island” debuted with a 100% Tomatometer score based on 20 reviews at the time of the embargo lift on September 21, with critics calling it one of DreamWorks Animation’s strongest original films in years.
- The film stars Grammy and Academy Award winner H.E.R. and Liza Soberano as two best friends in the 1990s Philippines who discover a portal to Nakali, a mythical island drawn from Filipino folklore populated by creatures including the vampiric manananggal, tree spirits, and shape-shifters.
- Written and directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, the team behind the Oscar-nominated “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” the film represents the largest concentration of Filipino and Filipino-American talent in a major Hollywood animated production.
- Tony winner Lea Salonga, known as the singing voice of Jasmine in “Aladdin” and Mulan, voices the film’s central antagonist, the Dreaded Manananggal, alongside a cast that includes Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Jo Koy, Ronny Chieng, and Dolly de Leon.
- Box Office Pro projects a domestic opening weekend between $20 million and $30 million; preview screenings begin the evening of September 24 ahead of the September 25 wide release.
A Story Rooted in Philippine Mythology and a Friendship About to Change
“Forgotten Island” is set in the Philippines during the 1990s and follows two lifelong friends navigating the last hours before their lives diverge. Jo, voiced by H.E.R., is a mischievous storyteller who grew up on the folkloric tales passed down by her grandmother Lola, voiced by Dolly de Leon. Raissa, voiced by Liza Soberano, is the more academically driven of the pair, recently accepted to CalTech and preparing to leave for the United States. On their final night together before Raissa’s departure, the two stumble upon a portal that transports them to Nakali, a fantastical island drawn from the Filipino folklore Jo has been recounting her entire life.
Nakali is populated by creatures from Philippine mythology, reimagined through the lens of DreamWorks’ animation style. The aswang, manananggal, kapre, duwende, tiyanak, and siukoy all appear in forms that draw from their traditional origins while subverting audience expectations. The Dreaded Manananggal, the film’s primary antagonist and one of Philippine folklore’s most feared figures — a vampire-like creature capable of splitting its body in half — is voiced by Tony winner Lea Salonga, who brought the singing voices of Jasmine in “Aladdin” and Mulan to life for Disney. Crawford told Rotten Tomatoes’ podcast that when they were casting the role, they sent Salonga a pitch immediately. “We heard from her team right away,” Crawford said. The film’s central tension is that escaping Nakali may require Jo and Raissa to sacrifice the memories of their friendship, forcing the question of whether a lifetime of shared experience is a price worth paying to move forward.
Crawford and Mercado Built the Film From Their Own Friendship and Heritage
Directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado co-wrote and co-directed “Forgotten Island” as a follow-up to their Oscar-nominated “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” (2022), which is widely credited with revitalizing DreamWorks Animation’s creative trajectory. Mercado, who is Filipino-American, drew on Philippine mythology and his own cultural heritage as the foundation for the film’s world-building, while the friendship between Crawford and Mercado themselves became the emotional template for Jo and Raissa’s relationship. The two have worked together at DreamWorks since “Kung Fu Panda 2” and described the film as their most personal project.
“Forgotten Island” is Crawford’s first DreamWorks film that is not a sequel to an existing franchise, and the production carries a level of creative risk that several critics noted in their reviews. Original animated properties face steeper commercial hurdles than franchise entries, and a story rooted in a specific cultural mythology rather than globally familiar IP represents a bet that specificity can drive broad audience engagement. The film’s animation style reflects that ambition: a painterly 3D approach with pronounced 2D anime influences that critics have compared to the visual language of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” and the work of Studio Ghibli, layered with references ranging from Street Fighter to Sailor Moon.
The Largest Concentration of Filipino Talent in a Major Hollywood Animated Film
“Forgotten Island” assembles what DreamWorks has described as the largest concentration of Filipino and Filipino-American talent in a major Hollywood animated production. Beyond H.E.R. (who is half-Filipino, half-Black) and Soberano (a Filipino actress and cultural figure), the cast includes Manny Jacinto (“The Good Place,” “Nine Perfect Strangers”) as the tiyanak Bungi, Jo Koy as an unnamed role, Dolly de Leon (“Triangle of Sadness”) as Lola, and Lea Salonga as the Manananggal. Younger versions of Jo and Raissa are voiced by Kailey Crawford and Kayla Teruel. Dave Franco voices Raww, a well-meaning weredog who joins Jo and Raissa on their journey through Nakali, and Jenny Slate and Ronny Chieng round out the supporting cast.
The production extends its Filipino representation behind the camera as well. Composer Nathan Matthew David, who is Filipino, scored the film. The soundtrack includes music from H.E.R. and Lea Salonga alongside tracks from Filipino pop acts BINI, SB19, and Sophia Laforteza, creating a musical identity that bridges the film’s 1990s setting with contemporary Filipino pop culture. H.E.R. and Soberano released the collaborative single “BRB” as part of the film’s promotional rollout.
Critics Describe the Film as One of DreamWorks’ Strongest Originals
The critical response, based on the initial wave of 20 reviews that produced the 100% Tomatometer score, has focused on both the film’s visual ambition and its emotional depth. Discussing Film awarded the film 4.5 out of 5 stars, describing it as an “emotionally complex film about friendship and knowing when it’s okay to let someone close grow a bit distant.” The review noted that Crawford and Mercado “continue to raise the bar for DreamWorks Animation.” IGN called the film “a great movie about the power of the history of friendship and the significance of the shared memories we make with the people we love.” Refinery29 called it “joyful, hilarious and will bring many people to tears.”
Multiple reviews noted that “Forgotten Island” achieves broad accessibility through precise cultural specificity, a formula that has worked commercially for films like “Coco,” “Encanto,” and “Moana.” The Discussing Film review argued that in a period when other studios are moving away from culturally specific original stories due to commercial risk, “Forgotten Island” proves the opposite case. The film earned raves at early work-in-progress screenings at CinemaCon in April and the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June, giving DreamWorks months of positive word-of-mouth heading into the theatrical window.
Box Office Projections Range From $20 Million to $35 Million for Opening Weekend
Box Office Pro projects a domestic opening weekend between $20 million and $30 million for “Forgotten Island,” placing it in the company of recent DreamWorks releases “The Bad Guys” ($23.9 million opening in 2022) and “Abominable” ($20.6 million in 2019), both of which were original, non-franchise animated films released outside the peak summer window. Independent forecasters have offered a wider range, with some projecting as high as the mid-$30 million territory achieved by “The Wild Robot” ($35.7 million in September 2024) and “Dog Man” ($36 million in January 2025), both of which had the advantage of being adapted from established children’s book properties.
The film is rated PG with a runtime of one hour and 47 minutes. Preview screenings begin the evening of Thursday, September 24, with the wide theatrical release following on Friday, September 25. “Forgotten Island” enters a marketplace with limited family-oriented competition, a scheduling advantage that could amplify its opening weekend performance if the critical consensus translates into audience interest. DreamWorks Animation’s track record with original properties has been uneven commercially, but the combination of a 100% Rotten Tomatoes debut, a culturally specific story with universal emotional stakes, and the directing pedigree of the “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” team gives “Forgotten Island” a foundation that few original animated films enter theaters with.
FAQs
When Does “Forgotten Island” Open In Theaters?
“Forgotten Island” opens in U.S. theaters on Friday, September 25, 2026, with special preview screenings on the evening of Thursday, September 24. The film is rated PG with a runtime of one hour and 47 minutes.
Who Voices The Characters In “Forgotten Island”?
H.E.R. voices Jo and Liza Soberano voices Raissa. The cast also includes Dave Franco as Raww, Lea Salonga as the Manananggal, Manny Jacinto as Bungi, Jo Koy, Jenny Slate, Ronny Chieng, and Dolly de Leon as Lola. Kailey Crawford and Kayla Teruel voice the younger versions of Jo and Raissa.
What Is “Forgotten Island” About?
The film follows two lifelong best friends, Jo and Raissa, growing up in the Philippines in the 1990s. On their last night together before Raissa leaves for college in the United States, they discover a portal to Nakali, a mythical island from Filipino folklore. They must find a way home before the island erases their shared memories.
What Is The Rotten Tomatoes Score For “Forgotten Island”?
“Forgotten Island” debuted with a 100% Tomatometer score based on 20 reviews when the embargo lifted on September 21, 2026. Critics praised the film’s animation, emotional depth, and cultural specificity.
Is “Forgotten Island” Based On A Book Or Franchise?
“Forgotten Island” is an original story, not based on a book, comic, or existing franchise. It is DreamWorks Animation’s 50th animated feature and the first film from directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado that is not a sequel to an established property.
