Forgotten Island: Joel Crawford and Januel P. Mercado draw on Filipino culture and folklore for upcoming animated film
Universal Pictures India, distributed by Warner Bros. Discovery, is set to bring Forgotten Island to Indian cinemas on September 25, 2026. The upcoming original film is an emotional adventure centred on friendship, Filipino culture and folklore.
Written and directed by Academy Award and BAFTA nominee Joel Crawford and Januel P. Mercado, Forgotten Island reunites the creative team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The film features Grammy and Academy Award winner H.E.R. and international actor Liza Soberano as high school graduates Jo and Raissa. The voice cast also includes Emmy nominee Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon, comedian Jo Koy and Emmy winner Ronny Chieng.
The story follows Jo and Raissa, best friends since grade school who are preparing to take different paths after graduating from high school. During their final night together, the two encounter a mysterious portal that transports them to Nakali, a fantastical island inhabited by magical and mythological creatures from the stories they heard growing up in their Filipino families.
As the friends attempt to navigate the unfamiliar world, their relationship becomes central to the adventure. The film combines fantasy elements with Filipino folklore while exploring themes of friendship, family and the experiences that shape people.
For Crawford and Mercado, the project also carries a personal connection to the Philippines. Crawford is married to a Filipina, while Mercado is Filipino American. Their experiences became part of the film’s creative foundation as they sought to explore a culture that has influenced their lives.
Mercado said, “We both have personal connections to the Philippines, so this movie is a love letter to our families and a culture that shaped our values. We thought a lot about the people who shape our lives, the loved ones who influence who we become and the way we move through the world.” Crawford added, “Not only did we set out to write what we know, but rather who we know.”
The filmmakers have also drawn inspiration from Filipino iconography, folklore, comedy and anime that influenced their respective upbringings. The characters of Jo and Raissa were inspired by women in their lives, while Nakali provides the setting for the film’s fantastical elements.
Forgotten Island is scheduled to release exclusively in cinemas across India on September 25, 2026.
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