Don’t write it off — Forgotten Island 2 gets a strong tease anyway
If you thought Forgotten Island was one-and-done, its director’s teasing a sequel despite a soft box office.
Right, this one's a bit of a surprise. Forgotten Island 2 might actually be on the horizon – and yes, I'm just as shocked as you considering the first film didn't exactly set the box office alight. But apparently, director Januel Mercado has other ideas, and he's dropped a few not-so-subtle hints about a possible sequel lurking in the wings.
Let's start with the numbers. When Forgotten Island landed in cinemas on 25 September, it kicked off its opening weekend with just under $13 million domestically. As it stands, the global total is hovering around $20.8 million – not exactly a DreamWorks smash, but not a total write-off either.
Forgotten Island launched in UK cinemas in late September 2024, opening with around $13 million in the US and taking in roughly $20.8 million worldwide so far.
Sequel Hints From the Top
Mercado addressed the whispers about a sequel in an interview with The Direct. Now, normally I'd expect the usual deflection when box office is a bit tepid, but he actually acknowledged all the open threads the first film left on the table. In his own words:
While chatting with The Direct, Mercado said, "I will say because we've been kind of trying to live in the moment and stick the landing. However, the answer to your question is that there are many things in the movie, questions that remain unanswered, that provide a path to [a possible sequel]."
He even went a step further, pointing out the film only scratched the surface of its world. There's apparently a lot more background with these characters and the mysterious Forgotten Island than we got in the first run. According to Mercado, 'a bigger world' exists – with stories stretching back way before Jo and Raissa even find themselves on Nakali.
If You Missed the Premise
Here's the setup: Forgotten Island follows two best mates, Jo and Raissa, after they tumble through some sort of portal to Nakali – a magical island crammed full of creatures nicked from Filipino mythology. The main snag? Getting home might mean they lose all their shared memories. Not exactly a relaxing holiday. H.E.R. voices Jo, while Liza Soberano is Raissa. You've got the likes of Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Lea Salonga, and Joy Koy rounding out the cast, so it's hardly low-profile on the talent front.
Even though DreamWorks hasn't officially said yes to Forgotten Island 2 yet, Mercado seems convinced there's more story left to tell. So, if you felt there were a few too many questions left dangling last time, well, you might just get your answers – eventually.