‘Forgotten Island’: DreamWorks Drops First Trailer for Fantasy Adventure With H.E.R. and Liza Soberano

DreamWorks Animation is returning to original storytelling with Forgotten Island (2026)—and based on its first trailer, this isn’t just another animated adventure. It’s a story built on emotion, identity, and the fragile nature of friendship, wrapped inside a visually rich fantasy world inspired by Filipino mythology.

Set for a theatrical release on September 25, 2026, the film is directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado and produced by Mark Swift—the same creative team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, a film widely praised for balancing spectacle with emotional depth. That same DNA is clearly visible here, but Forgotten Island appears to take an even more personal, character-driven approach.

A Simple Goodbye That Turns Into Something Much Bigger

At the center of Forgotten Island are Jo and Raissa, two best friends who have grown up side by side and are now facing a moment that feels small on the surface but is quietly life-changing: the end of high school and the beginning of separate paths.

The film opens on what should be a celebration—their last night together before everything changes. But instead of closure, they stumble into something unexpected: a mysterious portal that pulls them into a hidden world known as Nakali.

What begins as an adventure quickly transforms into a survival story. Nakali isn’t just magical—it’s unpredictable, dangerous, and deeply tied to stories the two grew up hearing from their Filipino families. Creatures that once felt like folklore now exist in front of them, and not all of them are friendly.

But the real twist comes when they discover the cost of returning home.

👉 Their memories of each other.

That single idea reshapes the entire film. This is no longer just about escaping an island—it’s about holding onto the very thing that defines their relationship.

More Than Fantasy: A Story About Growing Apart

While Forgotten Island is filled with mythical creatures and imaginative world-building, its emotional core is grounded in something universally relatable: the fear of losing someone not through conflict, but through change.

The transition from school to adulthood is something most people experience, but the film amplifies that moment into something tangible and urgent. Jo and Raissa aren’t just drifting apart metaphorically—the island forces them to confront that possibility in real time.

The stakes are internal as much as external.

• What happens when your lives start moving in different directions?

• Can a friendship survive distance, change, and time?

• And what are you willing to give up to preserve it?

By tying memory to survival, the film creates a powerful emotional dilemma that goes beyond typical animated storytelling.

A World Built on Filipino Mythology

One of the most striking elements of Forgotten Island is its cultural foundation. The island of Nakali is not a generic fantasy setting—it is deeply rooted in Filipino folklore, bringing rarely explored mythologies into a global animated feature.

This includes the film’s central antagonist, the Manananggal, a terrifying creature from Philippine legend known for its haunting presence and symbolic weight. Rather than presenting mythology as background flavor, the film integrates it directly into the narrative, making it essential to both the story and the emotional journey of the characters.

This approach gives Forgotten Island a distinct identity in a genre that often relies on familiar Western mythological frameworks. It’s not just visually different—it feels culturally specific in a way that adds authenticity and depth.

A Cast That Blends Star Power With Emotional Range

The film’s voice cast reflects its balance between global appeal and cultural grounding.

H.E.R. leads as Jo, bringing a level of emotional sensitivity that aligns with the character’s internal conflict, while Liza Soberano voices Raissa, adding warmth and strength to the dynamic at the center of the story. Their chemistry is crucial, as the entire narrative hinges on the believability of their friendship.

Supporting them is a diverse ensemble that includes Dave Franco as Raww, a comedic yet meaningful companion, along with Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy, and Ronny Chieng.

Lea Salonga’s involvement as the Manananggal stands out in particular. Her presence adds weight to the film’s cultural elements while also elevating its dramatic tension.

From the Team Behind One of DreamWorks’ Best Modern Films

There’s a reason expectations are high.

Joel Crawford and Mark Swift previously delivered Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, a film that surprised audiences with its emotional maturity and bold storytelling choices. That film proved DreamWorks could still evolve—and Forgotten Island feels like the next step in that evolution.

Where Puss in Boots balanced humor and introspection, Forgotten Island appears to lean even further into emotional storytelling, using its fantasy setting as a framework rather than the main attraction.

A Different Direction for DreamWorks Animation

DreamWorks has built its reputation on iconic relationships—Shrek and Donkey, Hiccup and Toothless, and more recently, stories that explore connection in deeper ways.

Forgotten Island fits into that legacy but shifts the focus toward something quieter and more introspective.

Instead of action driving the story, it’s the emotional stakes that take center stage. The fantasy elements enhance the narrative, but they don’t overshadow it.

That shift could be what sets the film apart in a crowded animation landscape.

What the Trailer Suggests About Tone and Style

The first trailer doesn’t try to overwhelm with plot—it carefully introduces tone.

There’s a noticeable balance between:

• Wonder and unease

• Humor and tension

• Bright visuals and darker themes

The pacing suggests a story that will unfold gradually, allowing audiences to sit with the characters rather than rushing through events. That slower, more deliberate approach is becoming increasingly important for animated films that want to

resonate beyond just spectacle.

Release and Expectations

Forgotten Island is scheduled for a September 25, 2026 theatrical release, placing it in a competitive but strategic window.

If the film delivers on its promise, it could appeal to multiple audiences:

• Younger viewers drawn to its fantasy world

• Older audiences connecting with its emotional themes

• International viewers interested in its cultural perspective

Given the creative team and the uniqueness of its premise, it has strong potential to become a word-of-mouth success rather than just an opening weekend hit.

Forgotten Island doesn’t look like a film trying to compete on scale alone.

It’s aiming for something more difficult—emotional impact.

By grounding its story in friendship, memory, and cultural identity, it positions itself as more than just another animated release. It’s a film about holding onto something that feels like it might slip away.

And if it executes that idea well, it won’t just be memorable.

👉 It’ll be the kind of film people carry with them long after it ends.