When does ‘Forgotten Island’ come out? Everything we know about the Filipino folklore adventure
DreamWorks Animation is bringing ‘Forgotten Island’ to theaters on September 25, with H.E.R. and Liza Soberano voicing two friends facing a change in their lives. It draws on Filipino folklore as Jo and Raissa prepare to part ways. Some audiences can see it before opening day. Here is what to know about its release and story.
‘Forgotten Island’ will release in US theaters on Friday, September 25. Preview screenings on the evening of Thursday, September 24. Showtimes and tickets for the release are available through the official movie website. A streaming release date has not been announced, and no streaming platform has been confirmed yet.
The official logline states, "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, and 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."
Jo and Raissa have been best friends since grade school, but graduation is about to take them in different directions. Raissa is heading to Caltech, and the pair plan to spend one last night together before she leaves. Instead, a portal takes them to Nakali, an island inhabited by creatures from stories they grew up hearing from their Filipino families. As they try to find a way home, the island puts the memories that connect them at risk.
The setting brings figures from Filipino mythology into Jo and Raissa’s path, including the Dreaded Manananggal. They also meet Raww, a weredog who becomes part of their group. Getting off the island could cost them the memories they share. Their search for a way home becomes a race to protect those memories.
H.E.R. voices Jo, while Liza Soberano voices Raissa. Dave Franco plays Raww, and Lea Salonga voices the Dreaded Manananggal. Manny Jacinto, Jenny Slate, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy, and Ronny Chieng are also in the voice cast, according to DreamWorks Animation. The studio identifies Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado as the film’s writers and directors, with Mark Swift producing.
Crawford and Mercado previously worked together on ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.’ Their friendship and connections to Filipino culture shaped the film. The animated movie runs one hour and 49 minute, and is rated PG. For now, those planning to watch it can book tickets online.
