Filipino folklore takes center stage in Hollywood with Forgotten Island, a new DreamWorks Animation film that brings Philippine mythology, culture, music, and family traditions to a global audience. The animated fantasy adventure has made headlines after scoring 100% on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of its wider international release.

Filipino-Inspired Forgotten Island Earns Perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

For Filipino audiences, the film offers something particularly familiar. Its fantastical world draws inspiration from stories, creatures, traditions, and everyday experiences associated with the Philippines. From the manananggal and Filipino family values to lechon, karaoke, and tinikling, Forgotten Island places recognizable elements of Filipino culture inside a major Hollywood animated adventure.

The result is a movie that gives international audiences another way to discover the Philippines through storytelling.

DreamWorks brings Filipino folklore to the big screen

Forgotten Island follows best friends Jo and Raissa, whose lives change after they discover a mysterious portal leading to Nakali, a magical island inspired by Filipino folklore.

The two friends encounter supernatural creatures and figures from Philippine mythology as they try to find their way home. Their journey also explores friendship, family, memories, and the fear of growing apart.

The fantasy setting provides an opportunity to showcase Filipino mythology in a way that younger audiences can easily understand. It also introduces international moviegoers to creatures and traditions that many Filipinos grew up hearing about from parents, grandparents, books, television, and local stories.

For travelers interested in Philippine culture, the movie offers an entertaining reminder that Filipino heritage extends far beyond beaches, islands, and tropical landscapes.

Filipino mythology takes the spotlight

One of the most recognizable figures featured in Forgotten Island is the manananggal, a legendary creature in Philippine folklore.

The manananggal is traditionally depicted as a supernatural being capable of separating its upper body from its lower body and flying through the night. Different regions of the Philippines have their own variations of supernatural folklore, giving Filipino mythology a diverse collection of stories and characters.

Lea Salonga voices the Dreaded Manananggal in the film, adding another significant Filipino connection to the production.

The movie also draws from the wider world of Philippine folklore, giving audiences an opportunity to become more familiar with the country’s mythical creatures and traditional stories.

Filipino culture appears throughout the film

The Filipino influence in Forgotten Island goes beyond mythology.

The movie incorporates recognizable aspects of Filipino life, including lechon, karaoke, tinikling, family traditions, and Filipino humor.

These details can make the movie particularly relatable for Filipinos watching it in cinemas. A simple cultural reference can instantly evoke memories of family gatherings, fiestas, birthdays, reunions, and celebrations.

For international viewers, these same details provide a glimpse into everyday Filipino culture.

Food plays an important role in that cultural connection. Lechon, one of the Philippines’ most recognizable celebratory dishes, is particularly familiar to Filipino families and travelers exploring regional cuisine.

Karaoke also reflects an everyday aspect of Filipino social culture, where singing can become part of family gatherings and celebrations.

Liza Soberano leads a Filipino-connected cast

Filipino actress Liza Soberano voices Raissa, one of the film’s central characters. Grammy- and Oscar-winning musician H.E.R. voices Jo.

The voice cast also features several Filipino and Filipino-American performers, including Lea Salonga, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, and Jo Koy.

Their participation gives the project an important connection to the global Filipino community.

For Filipino audiences, seeing familiar Filipino names associated with a major animated production can add another layer of interest to the movie.

Filipino music gets a global platform

The Filipino influence continues through the film’s music.

The soundtrack features artists including BINI, SB19, Ruby Ibarra, Guapdad 4000, and P-Lo. Sophia Laforteza of KATSEYE also contributes to the musical lineup.

For fans of Filipino pop music, this creates another reason to pay attention to Forgotten Island. The movie connects Philippine folklore with contemporary Filipino music and entertainment, presenting different aspects of Filipino identity to an international audience.

This combination also reflects how Filipino culture continues to evolve. Traditional folklore can exist alongside modern music, animation, social media, fashion, food, and pop culture.

Why ‘Forgotten Island’ matters to Filipino travelers

For a travel and lifestyle audience, Forgotten Island offers an interesting perspective on destination storytelling.

Travelers often discover the Philippines through its famous beaches, mountains, waterfalls, heritage sites, food destinations, and festivals. However, culture is equally important to understanding the country.

Philippine folklore varies from one region to another. Stories about supernatural creatures, enchanted forests, spirits, mythical islands, and legendary beings have been passed down through generations.

These stories can also influence the way destinations are experienced.

A visit to a heritage town, for example, can become more meaningful when travelers understand the legends associated with the community. Local festivals can also reflect traditional beliefs, regional history, food culture, music, and indigenous traditions.

In that sense, Forgotten Island can encourage audiences to look beyond the usual tourist attractions and explore the stories behind Philippine destinations.

A different way to discover the Philippines

The Philippines has thousands of islands, hundreds of destinations, and numerous cultural communities. Each region has its own traditions, cuisine, festivals, legends, and folklore.

Travelers exploring Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao can encounter different versions of Filipino culture depending on where they go.

Folklore can also become part of the travel experience. Local museums, cultural centers, heritage houses, festivals, storytelling events, and community tours can provide opportunities to learn more about traditional beliefs and regional history.

For international visitors, movies such as Forgotten Island can create curiosity about the country before they even board a plane.

For Filipinos, it can inspire a renewed interest in stories that may have been familiar during childhood but rarely receive international attention.

100% on Rotten Tomatoes

The film’s 100% Rotten Tomatoes score has generated significant attention ahead of its wider release.

The Tomatometer represents the percentage of professional critic reviews classified as positive. It does not mean that every critic gave the movie a perfect numerical score, and the percentage can change as additional reviews are added.

Early critical reactions have highlighted the film’s animation, humor, emotional story, friendship between its central characters, and Filipino cultural influences.

For Forgotten Island, the early critical response adds another layer of attention to a production already attracting interest because of its Filipino-inspired story and cast.

Filipino representation reaches a global audience

The significance of Forgotten Island goes beyond its Rotten Tomatoes score.

The movie places Filipino-inspired mythology and cultural references inside a major international animated production. Filipino performers also occupy prominent roles within the project.

That creates an opportunity for audiences around the world to encounter aspects of Philippine culture through mainstream entertainment.

For Filipinos, it can also be a chance to see familiar elements of home represented on a global platform.

The film’s cultural references may encourage viewers to explore the mythology behind its characters, learn more about Filipino traditions, explore Philippine cuisine, or even add destinations in the Philippines to their future travel plans.

When to watch ‘Forgotten Island’ in the Philippines

Forgotten Island is scheduled to open in Philippine cinemas on September 23, 2026, with its US theatrical release scheduled for September 25.

Filipino moviegoers can expect a fantasy adventure that blends themes of friendship and family with elements of Philippine folklore and contemporary Filipino culture.

For travelers, culture enthusiasts, Filipino families, and fans of animated movies, the film offers another way to experience the Philippines without leaving the cinema.

Its biggest cultural contribution may be its ability to turn familiar Filipino stories into something that international audiences can discover, discuss, and explore.

And for Filipinos who have grown up hearing stories about mythical creatures, attending family celebrations with lechon, singing karaoke, or watching traditional dances during festivals, seeing these elements reflected in a major Hollywood animation can make Forgotten Island feel remarkably close to home.

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