Universal’s New Fantasy Movie Debuts To Near-Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Published Sep 28, 2026, 2:02 PM EDT Adam Bentz is a senior news writer at ScreenRant, where he has authored nearly 5,000 articles, including features and lists. He studied creative writing and English with a concentration in screenwriting at Southern New Hampshire University and interned as a writer/journalist for The Borgen Project, an influential organization that fights global poverty. However, one of his proudest achievements is editing a Leonardo DiCaprio freakout compilation that has over 150K views on YouTube. Adam also fancies himself an amateur film critic on his personal website. Universal's new fantasy movie is making waves with a near-perfect audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Through DreamWorks, the studio has long enchanted audiences with a treasure trove of fantasy and fairy-tale adventures, from the beloved Shrek series (2001–2027) to the soaring How to Train Your Dragon franchise (2010–2027). Now, the studio has added another fantasy movie and potential franchise to its growing catalog, as it arrives with a near-perfect audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Fresh off its opening weekend in theaters, Forgotten Island has debuted with a 96% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie has 500+ verified ratings at the time of writing, so its audience score could change as more are added. This is coupled with its stellar 95% score from critics with 93 reviews. Written and directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, Forgotten Island follows two best friends growing up together during the 1990s and early 2000s in the Philippines who 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. The film features the voices of H.E.R., Kailey Crawford, Liza Soberano, Kayla Teruel, Dave Franco, Manny Jacinto, Jenny Slate, Lea Salonga, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy, Ronny Chieng, and Kevin McCann. Voice cameos include Eugene Cordero, Harvey Guillén, Wagner Moura, and Sophia Laforteza of Katseye. In ScreenRant's Forgotten Island review, Alex Harrison rated the movie eight out of 10 stars and wrote, "Laugh-out-loud DreamWorks comedy is breathless, joyful chaos... A film that fully encapsulates this new era of American studio animation, Forgotten Island is overflowing with visual creativity and manic humor." He continues: In this new wave of [animated] movies, Forgotten Island rivals Across the Spider-Verse as the busiest of them. For some, that could prove overwhelming. I found it invigorating. Overall, Forgotten Island is receiving rave reviews from critics, who call it a vibrant celebration of friendship and Filipino folklore that is brimming with colorful imagination and inventive charm, all while keeping its heartfelt central relationship firmly in focus. In its opening weekend, Forgotten Island grossed $21 million worldwide against its $80 million budget. On the other hand, audiences are also praising Forgotten Island for its vibrant animation, humor, emotional story, and heartfelt focus on friendship and family. Filipino viewers especially appreciate its cultural representation and folklore, though many find it nostalgic and surprisingly moving. However, some feel its pacing is frantic, and its darker, scarier elements may be too intense for younger children. Release Date September 25, 2026 Runtime 109 Minutes Director Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado Writers Joel Crawford, Januel Mercado Producers Mark Swift Cast Liza Soberano Raissa (voice) Lifelong best friends Jo and Raissa prepare to follow separate paths after high school, but a mysterious portal transports them to Nakali, an island filled with magical creatures drawn from stories they once heard from their Filipino families.