Dreamworks Unveils New Animated Character for Forgotten Island

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Netflix and Sony will not deliver the next dose of Kpop Demon Hunters for at least a few more years, but DreamWorks is poised to fill that void with something arguably even better. The Universal-owned animation studio is set to release its new film, Forgotten Island. Polygon has scored an exclusive image from the upcoming movie ahead of release on Sept. 25.

The image shows protagonists Jo, played by HER, and Raissa, played by Liza Soberano, alongside a hunky blue character wearing a fishnet shirt and starfish covering their nipples. That character is Mermahn, the Prince of the Kataw people in Forgotten Island. The name is a clever play on the character’s half-fish design.

Polygon asked co-directors Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado for more information about Mermahn via email, and they provided this description:

Ah yes. Prince Merhman. Son of King Merdad. Heir to the Pearl Throne and wielder of Tidebreaker (a trident sword)! Prince Mermahn is a shallow, self-absorbed merman thirsty for validation who becomes part of the Wild Pack during Jo and Raissa’s journey on Nakali.

He is voiced by Kevin McCann. Throughout our production process, many of us provided temp or “scratch” voices before we brought in the actors. Kevin’s scratch was just too good to NOT use. So we kept him in the film! He was part of the editorial team on ‘Forgotten Island’ as well as ‘Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.’ And fun fact: he also voiced the character “Ethical Bug” in that film! He’s super talented.

Audiences will have to wait until Forgotten Island‘s release to learn more about Mermahn. For now, here is everything currently known about the movie.

Pushing the limits of 2D animation

Joel Crawford previously directed Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which pushed the limits of animation in fascinating ways, so Polygon asked how he and Mercado evolved that style even further with this new film.

I think in ‘Forgotten Island,’ we were really excited to explore including more anime references and telling side-stories in 2D animation. Creating a new world from scratch in Nakali also afforded us the opportunity to really push our camera lens choices as well as our lighting design. We really want to immerse the audience in the 90s era in terms of color and vibe.

What’s the plot of Forgotten Island?

Forgotten Island follows two friends who accidentally travel to another realm and must find their way home before they forget about their past lives. The official synopsis states:

While celebrating their last night together, Jo and Raissa stumble upon a mysterious portal that transports them to the fantastical island of Nakali, packed with magical and mythological creatures they grew up hearing stories about from their Filipino families.

Some of these figures will become friends, some foes. Joined by well-meaning-but-hapless weredog Raww, played by Dave Franco, and a small-but-mighty pack of pals, Jo and Raissa must face The Dreaded Manananggal, a Tony-winning icon played by Lea Salonga, who is the most feared creature on the island. When they discover that the memories of their entire friendship are the price for returning home, Jo and Raissa will race to find a way to leave the island before they forget each other forever.

Who’s in the cast of Forgotten Island?

The full voice cast features:

• HER as Jo
• Liza Soberano as Raissa
• Dave Franco as Raww
• Manny Jacinto as Bungi (a Tiyanak)
• Jenny Slate as Batiba (a Batibat)
• Lea Salonga as The Dreaded Manananggal
• Dolly de Leon as Lola Fatima (Jo’s grandmother)
• Jo Koy as Datu
• Ronny Chieng as King Truffle Wuffle
• Kevin McCann as Mermahn, the Prince of Kataw

When does Forgotten Island release in theaters?

Forgotten Island arrives in theaters on Sept. 25.

Source: Polygon