DreamWorks' 'Forgotten Island' blends Filipino folklore with a chaotic Hangover-style quest

Key points

• The film is directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, the team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.
• It centers on the friendship between Jo (voiced by H.E.R.) and Raissa (voiced by Liza Soberano), who grow up in the Philippines in the 1990s.
• A quantum portal transports them to Nakali, a mythical island populated by Filipino cryptids like the Manananggal and Duwende.
• The plot involves a drunken night with no memory, requiring the trio to retrace their steps to find a sand dollar that opens the portal home.
• The voice cast includes Dave Franco as Raww, a weredog; Jenny Slate as Batiba; and Lea Salonga as Manang.
• The film is 101 minutes long and was released in theaters on September 25, 2026.

Background

This release follows the trend of studio animation moving away from traditional 3D styles, as seen in The Mitchells Vs. The Machines and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. The directors, Crawford and Mercado, previously collaborated on Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which utilized similar maximalist visual techniques. The film also arrives in a landscape where indie distribution is shifting, as noted by recent coverage of AMC Theatres' new Leawood Films label and the evolving role of the TIFF market in financing independent features.

How outlets are covering it

Av Club and The Film Verdict agree that the film is visually stunning but overstuffed. Av Club notes that the 'overabundance of souvenirs' makes the trip a blur, while The Film Verdict argues that the movie buries its central story in too much plot and mythology. Mashable offers a more positive view, praising the 'flawless' voice casting and the film's ability to evoke genuine emotion despite its chaotic energy. In contrast, The Guardian is highly critical, describing the film as 'exhausting AI-type content production' that never takes a breath, leaving the viewer with a sense of emptiness. While Av Club and The Film Verdict highlight the 'Hangover' comparison as a clever device for parents, The Guardian views the amnesia plot as algorithmic and soulless. Mashable emphasizes the emotional core of the friendship, whereas The Guardian dismisses the emotional beats as rare and insufficient.

Why it matters

Forgotten Island represents a significant attempt by DreamWorks to integrate specific cultural folklore, in this case Filipino mythology, into a mainstream animated feature. The film's reception highlights the ongoing debate in animation about balancing visual spectacle with narrative clarity and emotional resonance. Its success or failure will likely influence how studios approach culturally specific storytelling and the use of mixed-media animation styles in future releases.

What to watch

The film is currently in theaters, with release dates varying by region (September 17 in Australia, September 25 in the US, October 16 in the UK). Audiences will determine its box office performance and potential for a cult following, as suggested by The Film Verdict. Future releases from DreamWorks may continue to experiment with non-traditional animation styles and diverse cultural narratives, depending on the reception of this title.