Filipino moviegoers are getting an early ticket to Nakali.
Ahead of its official Philippine release, DreamWorks Animation’s “Forgotten Island” will hold nationwide sneak screenings on September 19 and 20, giving audiences a first look at the fantasy adventure before it opens in cinemas on September 23.
Making the occasion even more special, the Philippines will be the first country to release the film theatrically.
Inspired by Filipino culture, mythology, music, and family traditions, “Forgotten Island” brings together a remarkable lineup of Filipino and Filipino-American talent both in front of the microphone and on its soundtrack.
Filipino Talent Takes Center Stage
Leading the voice cast are Liza Soberano and Grammy and Academy Award winner H.E.R., who play lifelong best friends Raissa and Jo.
They are joined by a powerhouse supporting cast that includes Manny Jacinto, Lea Salonga, Dolly de Leon, and Jo Koy, along with Jenny Slate, Dave Franco, and Ronny Chieng.
The Filipino representation continues through the film’s music.
Its soundtrack features artists including SB19, BINI, KATSEYE’s Sophia Laforteza, Ruby Ibarra, and Carl Angelo, while cast members Lea Salonga, H.E.R., and Liza Soberano also contribute songs to the film.
It is a lineup that gives “Forgotten Island” a distinctly Filipino heartbeat, pairing a big-screen DreamWorks adventure with voices and sounds familiar to audiences at home.
Watch the trailer here:
A Friendship Put to the Ultimate Test
At the center of “Forgotten Island” is the bond between Jo and Raissa.
Best friends since grade school, the two are about to leave high school behind and begin separate chapters in their lives. Before going their different ways, they spend one final night together.
Then everything changes.
Jo and Raissa stumble upon a mysterious portal that transports them to Nakali, a fantastical island filled with creatures drawn from the stories they grew up hearing from their Filipino families.
Some of those creatures are helpful. Others are frightening. And waiting somewhere on the island is a danger far bigger than either of them expected.
As they search for a way home, Jo and Raissa discover the devastating cost of escaping Nakali: the memories of their friendship are slowly disappearing.
The longer they remain on the island, the more they risk forgetting each other completely.
Welcome to Nakali
Helping Jo and Raissa through their strange new surroundings is Raww, a well-meaning but hapless weredog voiced by Dave Franco, along with a small but fearless group of companions.
But Nakali is also home to one of its most terrifying figures, The Dreaded Manananggal, voiced by Tony Award winner Lea Salonga.
With their memories fading and time running out, Jo and Raissa must find a way to leave the island while holding on to the friendship that brought them this far.
It is a colorful fantasy adventure, but beneath the magical creatures and larger-than-life world is something deeply relatable: the fear that comes with growing apart from someone who has been part of your life for years.
From the Team Behind “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”
“Forgotten Island” comes from DreamWorks Animation, the studio behind films such as “How to Train Your Dragon,” “Shrek,” and “The Wild Robot.”
The original animated film is written and directed by Academy Award nominee Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, with Academy Award nominee Mark Swift producing.
Crawford, Mercado, and Swift previously worked together on the acclaimed animated adventure “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.”
Joining H.E.R. and Soberano in the ensemble are Emmy nominee Jenny Slate, “The Good Place” and “Top Gun: Maverick” star Manny Jacinto, BAFTA nominee Dolly de Leon, global comedian Jo Koy, and Emmy winner Ronny Chieng.
Together, they bring to life a story about friendship, memory, growing up, and the difficult moment when two people who have always been side by side suddenly face different futures.
See “Forgotten Island” Before Everyone Else
For Filipino audiences eager to experience Nakali, the wait is almost over.
Catch the nationwide sneak screenings of “Forgotten Island” on September 19 and 20, ahead of its official Philippine cinema release on September 23.
With Filipino mythology woven into its fantasy world, a star-studded Filipino cast, and music from some of today’s biggest homegrown talents, “Forgotten Island” is shaping up to be a uniquely familiar DreamWorks adventure with plenty of heart.
After all, some friendships are worth remembering.
And some are worth fighting for.
DreamWorks Animation’s “Forgotten Island” is distributed by Universal Pictures.
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