Forgotten Island: DreamWorks Bets on Filipino Heritage and Emotional Storytelling in Its New Animated Feature

Forgotten Island: Animation That Dares to Feel

DreamWorks Animation has never shied away from bold storytelling, but with Forgotten Island, it’s set to deliver an adventure that promises not just stunning visuals, but a powerful emotional core rooted in real-world culture and experience. The creative duo behind the project, Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, are well-known in the animation world for their past work and long-standing friendship, which shines through in the heart of this film.

The Essence of Friendship and Farewell

Forgotten Island follows the journey of Jo and Raissa, two childhood friends whose lives are about to diverge as the 1990s dawn. Raissa prepares to move to America for college, while Jo faces the challenge of redefining her life at home. Everything changes when a mystical portal to the lost island of Nakali opens, thrusting them into an otherworldly adventure filled with magical creatures and daunting monsters. As they fight to find their way back, the cost could be their very memories of one another — a narrative twist that injects tangible stakes into an already touching tale of friendship and nostalgia.

Visually, the film dazzles with a vibrant color palette and energetic animation style reminiscent of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Expect swirling, kinetic movement, bittersweet comedy, and visual metaphors — like memories dissolving into light — that highlight the fragility and beauty of life’s connections. These details make Forgotten Island stand out not just as a visual wonder, but as a meditation on how friendships evolve and endure through life’s transitions.

From Personal Paths to Universal Appeal

This movie wasn’t born out of a corporate brief, but from genuine friendship and heritage. Crawford and Mercado, lifelong collaborators since their days on Kung Fu Panda 2, drew directly from their own lives and families. Mercado’s Filipino heritage and Crawford’s own deep familial connections to the Philippines inspired not only the film’s thematic heart, but its very creation. In a rare moment of creative immersion, the crew even visited the Philippines — participating in local festivities, absorbing the culture, and channeling it directly into the film’s soul. For Mercado, this was an especially poignant return, coming years after his father’s death, and that emotion is woven into the threads of the story.

According to Crawford, the presence of strong women in both their families directly influenced the film’s spirit. The result is a narrative that doesn’t just showcase Filipino culture as a surface motif but celebrates it as an essential part of its DNA, making the story deeply personal yet accessible to a global audience.

Casting and Representation: A Meaningful Step Forward

The voice cast for Forgotten Island is equally rich in cultural resonance. Liza Soberano and H.E.R. both share Filipino heritage, bringing authenticity and genuine emotion to the roles of Raissa and Jo. Their chemistry off-screen paralleled that of their characters — effortless, playful, and grounded in mutual understanding. Soberano, who spent much of her youth in the Philippines before moving to Los Angeles, expressed heartfelt excitement about representing her culture so prominently in global cinema. H.E.R. echoed that sentiment, recalling her own childhood stories of Nakali and the thrill of bringing a piece of her past into the modern animation spotlight.

This project marks a significant moment for authentic representation in mainstream animation. As Soberano explained, it’s rare to see Filipino culture depicted in major studio productions, and she described feeling deeply honored and emotional when she first saw the film’s trailer. ‘I was just imagining all the children in the Philippines, and what they would feel when they see it, and just how proud they would feel to see something that beautiful representing our culture and our country on the big screen,’ she shared, highlighting what the film could mean for a new generation of viewers worldwide.

Technical Brilliance Meets Cultural Authenticity

With Forgotten Island, DreamWorks leverages state-of-the-art animation technology to create a world that’s as captivating as it is meaningful. Every frame is designed to evoke the memory-laden warmth of home, the uncertain thrill of personal growth, and the urgent beauty of childhood bonds. Director Januel Mercado’s Filipino roots, combined with Joel Crawford’s deeply personal motivations, result in a story that’s as visually dazzling as it is emotionally resonant.

For anyone tracking the evolution of animated filmmaking, or those curious about how heartfelt storytelling can shape the future of the medium, Forgotten Island is a title to watch when it arrives in theaters. With a cast led by Liza Soberano, H.E.R., Lea Salonga, and Dave Franco, and a production team known for pushing boundaries, it represents the next wave of animation that’s unafraid to be both playful and profoundly moving, rooted in genuine, lived experience.