Forgotten Island Opens Soft With $13M, but Strong Word-of-Mouth Could Save It

DreamWorks Animation's Forgotten Island didn't light up the box office this weekend — but it may not need to. The film opened to an estimated $12.8 to $13 million in fifth place, according to reports, a soft start by DreamWorks standards. The twist: the film is earning fantastic word-of-mouth from both critics and audiences, and in the world of family animation, that kind of love can turn a quiet opening into a very long run.

A Filipino Mythology Adventure

Directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, Forgotten Island follows Jo and Raissa, who stumble upon a mysterious portal to the island of Nakali — a place packed with magical and mythological creatures drawn from their Filipino families' stories. The catch is heartbreaking: the memories of their friendship are the price for returning home. It's a premise with real emotional teeth, and the kind of culturally specific storytelling that family audiences have been rewarding in a big way.

The voice cast is stacked. H.E.R. voices Jo, Liza Soberano voices Raissa, and they're joined by Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy, Ronny Chieng, and Dave Franco as a weredog named Raww. The legendary Lea Salonga voices the Dreaded Manananggal, one of Philippine folklore's most fearsome creatures — a piece of casting that has the Filipino diaspora buzzing.

The Word-of-Mouth Play

Here's why the soft opening might not matter: animated family films live and die on legs, not openings. Parents talk, kids rewatch, and a film with genuinely enthusiastic audiences can play for months. The early response suggests Forgotten Island has exactly the kind of passionate reception that powers slow-burn hits — the sort of film that discovers its audience over school holidays and repeat viewings rather than opening weekend.

There's also a cultural dimension working in the film's favor. Stories rooted in Filipino mythology remain rare on the big screen, and the casting of Lea Salonga — a legend to multiple generations — as the Dreaded Manananggal gives the Filipino diaspora a powerful reason to show up. Films that speak to underserved audiences often build momentum through community enthusiasm, and Forgotten Island has that spark.

DreamWorks knows this playbook well, and with the family calendar opening up in the weeks ahead, Forgotten Island has a real runway. A $13 million opening is only a disappointment if the story ends there. All signs suggest this one is just getting started.