DreamWorks Animation has unveiled the trailer for Forgotten Island, a 1990s-set original about two best friends who fall into a mythic Filipino world and risk losing every memory of each other. The trailer’s release and the film’s Sept. 25 theatrical date mark a major push for an original, culturally rooted studio title.

What the trailer shows

The preview follows Jo (voiced by H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano), lifetime friends who, on the eve of Raissa’s move to the U.S., slip through a portal into Nakali — a fantastical island populated by creatures drawn from Philippine folklore. The catch: the island erases memories, so the pair must find a way home before their bond disappears.

Visuals, tone and soundtrack

Directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, with producer Mark Swift, promise visuals that mix the painterly inventiveness seen in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish with a handcrafted look inspired by Studio Ghibli’s romanticized settings. The trailer leans into 90s nostalgia, even using Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” to sell that era and emotional tone.

Cast and creative team

  • H.E.R. as Jo
  • Liza Soberano as Raissa
  • Dave Franco, Lea Salonga, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy and Ronny Chieng in supporting roles

DreamWorks has highlighted the film as an original rather than a franchise installment, with Crawford and Mercado drawing on their own friendship for the story. The pair told reporters that the central emotional threat — “What if the end of the world stakes is actually your best friend forgets who you are?” — was key to making the premise feel epic without world-ending spectacle.

Why this matters now

Forgotten Island represents a notable push by a major studio to center Philippine mythology and a Filipino aesthetic in a wide-release animated feature. The film’s creators described the project as an attempt to create a lovingly romanticized version of the Philippines on screen, which could broaden representation in mainstream animation.

Industry and audience buzz

Coverage of the trailer has focused on the cast and the film’s emotional core, plus the rarity of a big-studio original in an era dominated by sequels and established IP. Social reaction to the trailer praised the cultural focus, the voice casting and the nostalgic soundtrack choice; outlets called the trailer “generating serious buzz” as DreamWorks leans into new mythological territory.

What’s next

Forgotten Island is scheduled to open in theaters on Sept. 25. Expect more clips, character reveals and soundtrack details ahead of release, and likely interviews and festival stops as DreamWorks builds audience awareness for this original, culturally specific animation.