Universal Pictures and DreamWorks Animation have released the first trailer and featurette for “Forgotten Island,” a new original animated film that blends friendship, memory, music, and Filipino mythology into a heartfelt coming-of-age adventure.
Directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, the film follows lifelong best friends Jo and Raissa, voiced by H.E.R. and Liza Soberano, as they prepare to go their separate ways after high school. Their final night together takes an unexpected turn when they discover a mysterious portal that transports them to Nakali, a fantastical island shaped by the stories and folklore they grew up hearing from their Filipino families.
Crawford shared that the film was inspired by his own friendship with Mercado. The two have known each other for 15 years, dating back to when they first worked together on “Kung Fu Panda 2.” Over the years, they discovered how much they had in common creatively, with both bringing similar sensibilities to the stories they wanted to tell.
After pushing the visual and animation boundaries with “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” Crawford said he wanted Forgotten Island to once again remind audiences of what animation can do at its best. This time, that meant creating an original film that feels truly original in every sense of the word. For Mercado, the story also comes from thinking about how the people we love shape who we are, influence our lives, and help define the people we are still becoming.
Soberano, who voices Raissa, said the real-life friendship between Crawford and Mercado made the experience feel like being part of one big friend group. H.E.R. added that the filmmakers poured their whole hearts into the movie.
Along with Ronnie Chieng, Dave Franco and Jenny Slate, Forgotten Island also features a cast filled with Filipino pride, including Manny Jacinto, Jo Koy, Dolly de Leon, and the legendary Lea Salonga.
Here’s the official plot synopsis:
While celebrating their last night together, Jo and Raissa stumble upon a mysterious portal that transports them to the fantastical island of Nakali, packed with magical and mythological creatures they grew up hearing stories about from their Filipino families.
Some of these figures will become friends, some foes. Joined by well-meaning-but- hapless weredog Raww (Dave Franco) and a small-but-mighty pack of pals, Jo and Raissa must face The Dreaded Manananggal (Tony winning icon Lea Salonga), the most feared creature on the island. When they discover that the memories of their entire friendship are the price for returning home, Jo and Raissa will race to find a way to leave the island before they forget each other forever.
