‘Forgotten Island’ directors tease a possible sequel: ‘a lot of questions...’
Jo and Raissa have barely arrived in theaters, and the filmmakers behind ‘Forgotten Island’ are already thinking about another trip to Nakali. Directors Joel Crawford and Januel P. Mercado told Collider in an interview that they have ideas for stories beyond the new DreamWorks movie. Mercado pointed to parts of the island that the first film has yet to explore, while Crawford said the team would welcome a chance to return. DreamWorks has not announced a sequel.
Asked directly if they had sequel ideas, Mercado replied, “I will say that there are a lot of questions unanswered in the movie. The world is already so much bigger than you see on-screen.” He added, “It's a world that has its own history and has existed long before the viewer starts the story.” The director did not identify which of those unanswered questions a second film might tackle. He also stressed that the team is focused on the movie in theaters rather than rushing ahead to another project.
Crawford was open to a return, too. He said the cast and crew had put a great deal of themselves into ‘Forgotten Island’ and wanted the movie to connect with audiences. “What would make us so happy is if we got to tell more stories in the Forgotten Island world,” he told Collider. That is a wish from its director, rather than confirmation that DreamWorks is developing a follow-up.
The filmmakers also discussed what brought them to Nakali in the first place. Crawford said he and Mercado started talking about an original story in 2020, after working together on ‘The Croods: A New Age’. They then stepped away to make ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’ before returning to the idea. Recalling those early conversations, Crawford said, “Oh, we want to tell something personal and original.”
That personal starting point shaped the story of Jo, voiced by H.E.R., and Raissa, voiced by Liza Soberano. The friends find themselves on Nakali, an island tied to Filipino mythology, as they face changes in their lives and the possibility of losing their memories. “We've said that our friendship inspired this movie,” Crawford said. He also described it as a story about “celebrating unsung heroes,” including people whose importance in someone else's life may go unspoken.
Mercado made clear that the directors are allowing themselves time to enjoy the film’s release. “Even now, we want to make sure this movie gets out there, so we're focused on this,” he said. He added that they have other ideas they have not yet discussed in depth. ‘Forgotten Island’ opened in US theaters on September 25, and there is no announced sequel title, story, cast or release date.
