DreamWorks Animation may have already found its next great fantasy franchise with the theatrical debut of Forgotten Island on September 25. The coming-of-age animated fantasy comedy recently unveiled its official trailer, which garnered over 14 million views on YouTube within six days. In addition, interest in the upcoming film continues to grow following its preview screening at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where it received a five-minute standing ovation.
Forgotten Island is co-directed and written by long-time collaborators Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, who first started as story artists on Kung Fu Panda 2. They previously worked on the acclaimed 2022 film Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The voice cast includes H.E.R., Liza Soberano, Lea Salonga, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, and more. The story takes place in the Philippines during the 1990s, centering around best friends Jo and Raissa who are unexpectedly transported to the magical world of Nakali, where Filipino mythological creatures come to life.
Why Filipino folklore gives Forgotten Island franchise potential
Forgotten Island is DreamWorks Animation’s latest original movie in a long while that isn’t based on any existing books or comic book material. I believe that it has a huge potential to become the studio’s next big fantasy franchise after Shrek and How to Train Your Dragon. The Philippines has a rich folklore that is perfect for worldbuilding. We’ve already gotten a taste of it from the trailer, which featured many references and fantastical creatures based on Filipino folklore that are new to global audiences. Because of this, the film stands out among this year’s theatrical slate of animated offerings.
The upcoming movie’s hybrid visual animation style has also been receiving early praise from critics and fans. Following its trailer release and five-minute standing ovation at the Annecy Film Festival, many critics described the film as the studio’s “most ambitious” project to date. I’m convinced that the studio decided to take the risk with the film because they’ve already seen the film’s franchise potential in the long run.
In addition to its promising visuals and worldbuilding, the coming-of-age film also features very relatable themes of friendship, identity, and memory. These are emotional hooks that audiences gravitate towards in many popular films. Besides enlisting a strong ensemble cast, the creative team has also tapped popular Filipino artists for its soundtrack, including BINI, SB19, Sophia Laforteza of Katseye, and more. This proves that the filmmakers are determined to make the film as authentic as possible, which is something that many moviegoers are looking for nowadays.
Overall, I think that Forgotten Island has all the makings of becoming the studio’s next big franchise. I believe that it could also potentially become this year’s biggest animated release due to the buzz it has been generating lately. With a stellar cast, great visuals, and a relatable story, the upcoming movie is something you should watch out for.
