DreamWorks Animation, the studio that brought you unforgettable bonds between a boy and a dragon in How to Train Your Dragon, an ogre and a donkey in Shrek, and a robot and a gosling in The Wild Robot, now welcomes a dazzling and emotional story about two lifelong best friends who must come together before they drift apart in Forgotten Island. The new original film is written and directed by Academy Award® nominee Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado and is produced by Academy Award® nominee Mark Swift, the filmmaking team behind Puss In Boots: The Last Wish.
THE OFFICIAL TRAILER FOR FORGOTTEN ISLAND:
DreamWorks Animation, Forgotten Island, is an all new original concept that is from director Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado (the team behind Puss in Boots: The Last Wish) original concept rooted in Filipino folklore. They said it has been an amazing journey and all the cast/crew put their heart into this entire film. The key for this movie is about friendship and a story dear to the hearts as it was set in the Philipines.
Joel said he has worked with Januel for the last 25 years on so many different projects. Joel said Januel made everyone feel safe and felt a kindred spirit with working with Januel. They were so excited to be inspired by their connections and create this story together. Prior to filming this movie, they took trips to the Philipines to get knowledge. Januel’s dad passed away prior to this movie so it was really special for them to honor him by taking these visits and making memories with those you love.
They said they chose the 90s because it was their formative years. They said people would connect on an authentic level because they actually experienced a lot of this. There was a seed of nostalgia for them and relatability that they could portray on the big screen. Polaroids were a big part of this movie and it will bring back many memories for the kids that grow up in the 90s. This movie is about moments and memories! 
At the press conference, the two lead actors were there as well. H.E.R (who plays Jo in the movie) and Liza Soberano (who plays Raisa) were there to answer questions about this movie. They were so excited to share some of their childhood in this film. It has been a long time dream to be in a project that represented the Philipines but universal enough for people to relate to. They said the first time they saw themselves on the big screen made them so proud with beautiful themes throughout the movie. They are excited for all the kids to see it. When asked about how they bonded, they said the recording sessions were the best time of their day. They said they were fun and easy to film in this movie. They felt like big kids filming this movie and they can’t wait to see it portrayed in September.
Forgotten Island comes out September 26th from DreamWorks Animation.
*Thanks to Dreamworks for inviting me to the junket. All opinions are my own and not swayed by outside sources.*