DreamWorks Animation is taking a swing at original storytelling on the big screen with Forgotten Island. Billed as a “broad party comedy-adventure,” this CG-animated pic will be written and directed by Joel Crawford (The Croods: A New Age) and Januel Mercado (Harvey Beaks), with Mark Swift (Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie) on board to produce.

Forgotten Island tags along with a motley crew of adventurers who find themselves on a magical island rooted in Philippine mythology. All other project details are being kept under wraps for the time being. 

But DreamWorks and Universal Pictures have already scheduled the pic to launch on September 25, 2026—tapping into the same fall release slot that worked so well for The Wild Robot, which earned more than US$333 million last year and nabbed DreamWorks multiple Oscar nominations.

Locking in Crawford and Mercado should also contribute to the studio’s confidence in this original feature. They co-directed 2022’s Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, another notable Oscar-nominated feature in the DreamWorks catalogue.

Forgotten Island joins an IP-heavy slate of upcoming releases for the studio. Up next on June 13 is DreamWorks’ live-action take on 2010’s How to Train Your Dragon—and in a strong sign of optimism, Universal has already committed to a live-action sequel. The Bad Guys 2 (August 1) and Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie (September 26) are due out this fall, and a holiday 2026 release date is locked down for Shrek 5 (December 23). 

Pictured: Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)