DreamWorks Animation’s “Forgotten Island” takes audiences on a colorful journey into Filipino folklore while telling a deeply personal story about friendship, growing apart and the fear of losing cherished memories.
Directed and written by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, the animated adventure centers on two longtime best friends, Jo and Raissa, whose final night together before they begin separate futures leads them into a mysterious fantasy world. The film is scheduled to arrive in theaters on September 25, 2026.
A Friendship at the Center
Jo and Raissa have been best friends since childhood. Their bond is built around shared memories, Filipino folklore and stories about a mysterious place known as Nakali.
But their friendship is approaching a major turning point.
Raissa has been accepted to Caltech, giving her the opportunity to pursue her ambitions in science in the United States. Jo, meanwhile, is facing a very different future. Their contrasting paths create an emotional tension that exists beneath the film’s colorful adventure.
On their final night together, the two friends encounter a magical portal that transports them to Nakali, the mythical island they have heard about since childhood.
What initially appears to be the ultimate adventure soon becomes a race against time.
Welcome to Nakali
Nakali is filled with creatures inspired by Philippine mythology and folklore. The world gives “Forgotten Island” an opportunity to move beyond familiar fantasy settings and create something visually distinctive.
The island is populated by strange, funny and sometimes frightening creatures, including the weredog Raww, voiced by Dave Franco.
Other members of the voice cast include H.E.R. as Jo, Liza Soberano as Raissa, Manny Jacinto, Jenny Slate, Dolly de Leon and Lea Salonga.
The mythology is not simply used as background decoration. The film incorporates these elements into the characters’ journey and uses Filipino cultural references throughout the story.
H.E.R. Leads the Adventure
H.E.R. makes her feature animation debut as Jo, bringing an energetic quality to a character who is imaginative, rebellious and deeply attached to her best friend.
Liza Soberano voices Raissa, whose more ambitious and cautious personality creates an interesting contrast with Jo.
Their differences become increasingly important once they arrive on Nakali. Jo wants to hold onto the friendship and the life they have shared, while Raissa is preparing to move forward.
That conflict gives the movie an emotional foundation beneath its fast-moving fantasy story.
Dave Franco’s Raww Adds Comedy
Dave Franco provides the voice of Raww, a well-meaning but chaotic weredog who becomes part of Jo and Raissa’s adventure.
Raww serves as one of the film’s primary sources of comic relief, but the character also becomes important to the larger emotional story.
Other colorful inhabitants of Nakali include characters inspired by different creatures from Philippine mythology. The supporting cast includes Manny Jacinto, Jenny Slate, Ronny Chieng and Lea Salonga.
The large ensemble could have made the story difficult to manage, but the characters are integrated into the central journey rather than existing only as visual spectacles.
The Price of Returning Home
The biggest challenge facing Jo and Raissa is not simply escaping the island.
They discover that returning home comes with a devastating cost: their memories of each other.
That idea gives the movie its emotional hook. The two friends have spent years creating memories together, only to discover that those memories could be the very thing they have to sacrifice to return home.
The premise turns a fantasy adventure into a story about change.
For Raissa, leaving home is part of growing up. For Jo, the possibility of losing her closest friend makes that transition much harder.
A Visually Ambitious DreamWorks Film
Visually, “Forgotten Island” continues DreamWorks Animation’s recent interest in experimenting with different animation styles.
The filmmakers incorporate painterly imagery and 2D anime-inspired sequences into the film’s predominantly 3D animation. Reviews have particularly highlighted the movie’s vibrant visual design and energetic presentation.
The approach allows the animation to change with the mood and personality of the characters.
Rather than using a single visual style throughout, the movie can become exaggerated and dynamic during action sequences and more expressive during emotional moments.
Filipino Culture and Folklore
One of the film’s most distinctive qualities is its focus on Filipino culture.
The story draws from Philippine mythology while placing those traditions at the center of a mainstream animated adventure. The filmmakers have previously described the project as a deeply personal celebration of Filipino culture.
That cultural specificity helps distinguish “Forgotten Island” from more familiar animated fantasy adventures.
The movie doesn’t require audiences to be familiar with Philippine folklore before watching it. Instead, the mythology becomes part of the world-building and gives Jo and Raissa’s adventure its unique identity.
Humor Keeps the Story Moving
Despite the emotional themes, “Forgotten Island” is not a slow or solemn film.
The adventure moves quickly, with jokes, action sequences and unusual creatures appearing throughout the journey.
Raww’s chaotic personality adds another layer of comedy, while the various inhabitants of Nakali provide opportunities for visual gags and eccentric encounters.
Some reviews have praised the film’s energy, while others have noted that its rapid pacing can sometimes make the storytelling feel rushed.
That fast pace is likely to be one of the more noticeable characteristics of the movie.
A Story About Letting Go
Underneath the fantasy, “Forgotten Island” is ultimately about friendship.
Jo and Raissa are at an age when their lives are changing. College, careers and family expectations are pulling them in different directions.
The film explores a familiar question: Can two people remain close when their lives take them down completely different paths?
By making memories themselves part of the fantasy conflict, the filmmakers give that question a literal consequence.
The friends aren’t simply fighting to escape an island. They are fighting to preserve the history that made them who they are.
A Colorful New Adventure
“Forgotten Island” combines a coming-of-age story with fantasy, comedy and Filipino mythology.
H.E.R. and Liza Soberano provide the emotional center, while Dave Franco and the supporting cast add plenty of humor. Meanwhile, Crawford and Mercado give the movie a distinctive visual identity influenced by both Western animation and anime.
The result is an animated film that aims to entertain younger audiences while giving its central friendship enough emotional weight to connect with older viewers as well.
Final Verdict
“Forgotten Island” stands out through its combination of vibrant animation, Filipino folklore and a heartfelt story about friendship.
Its rapid-fire adventure style may occasionally make the story feel crowded, but the colorful world, expressive animation and emotional relationship between Jo and Raissa give the movie a strong identity.
With H.E.R., Liza Soberano and Dave Franco leading an impressive voice cast, the DreamWorks feature offers audiences a fantasy adventure that is both culturally specific and broadly relatable.
“Forgotten Island” arrives in theaters on September 25, 2026, giving moviegoers a chance to explore Nakali and discover whether Jo and Raissa can escape without losing the memories that have defined their friendship.
Source: deadline