Convention - CinemaCon 2026 : Forgotten Island Ignites DreamWorks’ First Big Original Showcase With an Emotional Fantasy Swing

By Mulder, Las Vegas, Caesars Palace, Dolby Colosseum, 15 april 2026

DreamWorks Animation used CinemaCon 2026 to make one of the convention’s most talked-about early-morning plays, inviting exhibitors into the Dolby Colosseum for the very first full screening of Forgotten Island, the studio’s upcoming original animated feature. The timing alone said plenty: before the day’s louder franchise-heavy reveals, DreamWorks and Universal Pictures chose to showcase an untested original property, a sign of notable confidence in the film’s commercial appeal. According to attendees posting live reactions from inside the venue, the room was already being urged to “put down your coffee” and rush inside before the presentation began. That playful urgency matched the atmosphere surrounding a project that has steadily built curiosity since DreamWorks first announced it in April 2025. The film is scheduled for theatrical release on September 25, 2026, through Universal Pictures.

The presentation opened with Jim Orr, President of Theatrical Distribution for Universal Pictures, taking the stage to personally introduce the screening. His brief but emphatic remark that the company was “incredibly proud” to share the very first screening with exhibitors carried the usual CinemaCon subtext: theater owners are the first line of support for a film’s rollout, and studios often reserve early screenings only for titles they believe can generate strong word-of-mouth. Rather than saving footage for a trailer montage, Universal reportedly committed to showing the entire movie. In CinemaCon terms, that is meaningful. It suggests the studio believes Forgotten Island plays best as a complete emotional experience rather than as a package of disconnected jokes or spectacle clips.

The filmmakers, Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, were also present and introduced as the writers and directors behind the project. Januel Mercado told the audience that he and Joel Crawford had been working on the story for almost six years, a revealing timeline that places the project’s conception well before its public announcement. That long incubation period aligns with the film’s more personal origins. Verified production background indicates the pair drew inspiration from their own friendship while building a story rooted in Philippine mythology. For DreamWorks, a studio long associated with fast-paced comedy and broad family appeal, this signals something more intimate: an adventure film using fantasy mechanics to explore memory, separation, and emotional permanence.

The movie follows childhood best friends Jo and Raissa in the 1990s Philippines, just as their lives begin to diverge after high school graduation. Raissa is preparing to move to the United States, while Jo fears losing the bond that has defined their youth. That emotional conflict is interrupted when both are pulled through a portal into Nakali, a mystical forgotten island where memories fade the longer visitors remain. It is a strong commercial premise because it works on multiple levels at once: a fantasy quest for younger audiences, a friendship drama for teens and adults, and a nostalgia-infused coming-of-age story framed around migration, change, and identity. The idea that escape may require sacrificing shared memories gives the narrative a sharper emotional edge than the average animated adventure.

CinemaCon attendees also learned that the score will be recorded live next month at Abbey Road Studios, a detail that may sound ceremonial but often reflects serious musical ambition. The legendary London facility remains associated with prestige film scoring, and using a live orchestra there positions Forgotten Island as a project receiving premium treatment. Composer Nathan Matthew David is attached to the film, and the decision to highlight the recording venue during the presentation suggests music may play a major role in the movie’s emotional architecture rather than functioning as background support alone.

Voice talent is another point of strength. Verified cast members include H.E.R., Liza Soberano, Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy, Ronny Chieng, and Lea Salonga. That lineup blends mainstream American recognition with major Filipino and Filipino diaspora talent, reinforcing the film’s cultural specificity while preserving broad international reach. Lea Salonga brings generational prestige, Liza Soberano and Manny Jacinto offer strong cross-market visibility, while performers like Jenny Slate and Dave Franco help maintain DreamWorks’ comedic DNA.

From an industry perspective, Forgotten Island may be one of DreamWorks’ most strategically important originals since The Wild Robot. The studio has recently balanced sequels and known brands, but exhibitors remain eager for fresh animated worlds that can launch repeat viewings, merchandise potential, and long-tail streaming value. The stylized visual approach reportedly recalls Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, another Joel Crawford success that proved audiences would respond to a painterly, less conventional CG aesthetic. If that influence carries through, Forgotten Island could arrive with both visual distinction and emotional credibility two elements increasingly critical in a crowded family marketplace.

What made the CinemaCon screening especially interesting was the anecdotal enthusiasm surrounding it before a single public review existed. Morning slots can be sleepy, transactional affairs. Instead, social media reactions framed this one as an event screening, with attendees hurrying in and posting in real time about the filmmakers’ presence and the exclusivity of seeing the film first. That kind of spontaneous buzz matters because it is not generated by a marketing campaign alone; it reflects the perception that something potentially special is being unveiled.

DreamWorks now faces the next phase: translating exhibitor enthusiasm into public momentum over the coming months. But CinemaCon 2026 appears to have given Forgotten Island exactly what an original animated film needs most legitimacy, curiosity, and the sense that it might be more than just another release on the calendar. In a year likely dominated by established IP, DreamWorks walked into Las Vegas with a brand-new world, and by most early indications, left with attention.

Synopsis :
Jo and Raissa, best friends since elementary school, are about to embark on different paths after graduating from high school. While celebrating their last night together, the two girls stumble upon a mysterious portal that transports them to the fantastical island of Nakali, populated by magical creatures straight out of the Filipino mythological tales of their childhood. Together, the girls will ally themselves with some of these creatures, while facing off against others. With the help of Raww, a well-meaning yet hapless were-dog, as well as a group of young companions endowed with extraordinary powers, the two best friends will face the fearsome Manananggal, the most dreaded creature on the entire island. But when they discover that to find their way home, they’ll have to forget everything they’ve experienced together, Jo and Raissa will embark on a race against time to find a way off the island, before it devours the memories of their friendship forever.

Forgotten Island
Written and directed by Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado
Produced by Mark Swift
Starring H.E.R., Liza Soberano, Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy, Ronny Chieng, Lea Salonga
Edited by James Ryan
Music by Nathan Matthew David
Production company : DreamWorks Animation
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date : September 25, 2026
Running time : 98 minutes