What if your final adventure with your best friend accidentally opened a portal to a world filled with shapeshifters, demons, witches, and creatures pulled from centuries of folklore?
That’s the premise of Forgotten Island, DreamWorks Animation’s upcoming fantasy adventure, and it may become one of the most significant representations of Filipino culture ever produced by a major Hollywood animation studio.
At its heart, Forgotten Island is a story about friendship.
Best friends Jo and Raissa find themselves pulled into a mysterious magical realm known as Nakali. What begins as one last adventure together quickly turns into a fight for survival as they navigate a strange world filled with supernatural forces while trying to find a way back home.
But unlike many fantasy films that borrow heavily from European myths and fairy tales, Forgotten Island draws inspiration from Filipino culture, folklore, mythology, and traditions, giving audiences a fantasy world rarely seen in mainstream animation.
The Philippines Takes Center Stage
One of the most exciting things about Forgotten Island is that it isn’t simply a movie featuring Filipino characters.
The Philippines is woven into the DNA of the project.
The filmmakers incorporated traditional Filipino instruments into the score, including indigenous percussion and even the historic Las Piñas Bamboo Organ. Tagalog phrases appear throughout the music, and the film’s mythology draws inspiration from stories and creatures familiar to generations of Filipinos.
For many viewers outside Southeast Asia, this could be their first exposure to Filipino folklore on such a massive scale.
For Filipino audiences, it represents something equally meaningful: seeing their culture presented as the foundation of an epic fantasy adventure rather than a background detail.
A Friendship Story With Real Stakes
While the magical creatures and fantasy world provide plenty of spectacle, the emotional core of the film revolves around Jo and Raissa.
Separated from the safety of home and forced to navigate an increasingly dangerous world, the two friends must rely on each other while confronting fears, misunderstandings, and the possibility that they may not find their way back.
The fantasy elements create excitement, but the friendship is what gives the story its heart.
If DreamWorks succeeds, audiences won’t just remember the monsters and magical landscapes. They’ll remember the bond between the two girls at the center of the story.
An All-Star Filipino Cast
The cast alone makes Forgotten Island worth paying attention to.
Grammy-winning singer H.E.R. and Filipino actress Liza Soberano lead the film as Jo and Raissa.
For Soberano, the project marks one of the biggest international opportunities of her career, while H.E.R. brings both star power and deep personal investment to a story celebrating Filipino identity.
The supporting musical lineup is equally impressive.
P-pop sensation BINI contributes the original song “A Parallel World.”
Katseye member Sophia Laforteza performs a new version of the classic INXS song “Never Tear Us Apart.”
Broadway legend Lea Salonga lends her iconic voice to the project.
SB19 contributes to the soundtrack, while acclaimed Filipina-American rapper Ruby Ibarra also joins the lineup.
Few animated films can claim to feature this many prominent Filipino artists working together on a single project.
Why This Film Matters
Hollywood has increasingly embraced stories inspired by different cultures, but Filipino representation has often lagged behind that of other Asian communities.
Forgotten Island feels different.
Rather than simply including Filipino characters, the film places Filipino culture, mythology, language, music, and talent at the center of the experience.
The result could become a landmark moment not just for Filipino audiences, but for global animation.
If successful, Forgotten Island may help open doors for more stories inspired by Southeast Asian cultures and demonstrate that audiences are eager for fantasy worlds beyond the familiar castles, dragons, and fairy tales of Western tradition.
Basic Information
- Title: Forgotten Island
- Directors: Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado
- Executive Producer: Yeon Sang-ho
- Main Cast:
- H.E.R.
- Liza Soberano
- Lea Salonga
Featured Artists on the Soundtrack:
BINI
Sophia Laforteza (Katseye)
SB19
Ruby Ibarra
Release Date: Late 2026 (exact theatrical release date to be announced)
