‘Incredibly Proud’: New DreamWorks Movie Director Reacts to 100% on RT Score
A brand-new DreamWorks movie director has reacted to a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. As positive reviews poured in from fans and critics alike, director Joel Crawford could not help but share his pride.
According to the latest update, Crawford’s Forgotten Island has received a positive early critical reception. The feature held a solid 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 20 reviews up until Monday, September 21, 2026. Reacting to the score, Crawford took to his Instagram and wrote, “Incredibly proud of our cast and crew and the film we made. We all can’t wait to finally share it with the world this week! Tayo na!”
The animated feature, which is also co-directed by Januel Mercado, has maintained its 100% rating till September 23, 2026. Forgotten Island has 36 reviews at the time of writing this article. The summary of the movie, per Rotten Tomatoes, reads, “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.”
It further continues, “Joined by well-meaning-but-hapless weredog Raww (Dave Franco) and a small-but-mighty pack of pals, Jo and Raissa must face The Dreaded Manananggal (Tony-winning icon Lea Salonga), 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.”
How Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado brought Filipino culture to Forgotten Island
The directors of Forgotten Island, Januel Mercado and Joel Crawford, drew on their family roots to introduce Filipino culture in their animated film. The creative team traveled to the Philippines to gain firsthand experience of the traditions and lifestyle on the islands. Authentic Filipino folklore and music have been incorporated into the film.
Reflecting on the movie, Januel Mercado shared, per Animation Magazine, “This film reflects our own Filipino families and our experience, the Filipino community that we both have. Joel’s wife is Filipino, and I’m Filipino, and we wanted to share our culture. We’re also both cinephiles who wanted to include all the details and layers that make great storytelling.”
Joel Crawford shared how he constructed the characters. “When we’re writing the characters, we’re writing them how real people speak and interact and cut each other off,” said the director, according to Variety. He added that he wanted to trust the audience rather than over-explain matters. “It’s that same level of respect for the audience in the craft that we just took into Filipino culture, where we immerse the audience into a real world and dynamic of characters, and you don’t need to explain. It feels real because we’re not pandering, and we’re not forcing anything,” said Crawford.
Forgotten Island is slated to release on September 25, 2026.
Source: Comingsoon.net