Directors Joel Crawford & Januel Mercado, the Best Friends Behind Forgotten Island
September 16, 2026 · 39 min
Why listen
Two directors turn a 20-year friendship into an animated film rooted in Filipino folklore and the science of memory.
Enjoy the episode?
Subscribe to Seen on the Screen with Jacqueline Coley
In this episode
- How a real friendship became the emotional blueprint for Forgotten Island
- Why Filipino folklore and 90s anime shaped the film's visual and cultural identity
- What the slow box office burn of Puss in Boots taught them about patience and belief
- How they used memory as a storytelling device to test the bonds between characters
About this episode
Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado have spent much of the past twenty years making each other laugh. After instantly hitting it off as storyboard artists on Kung Fu Panda 2, the pair went on to become best friends and creative partners, earning a reputation for boundary-pushing animated storytelling with The Croods: A New Age and the Oscar-nominated Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. Now, they're back with Forgotten Island, an original animated adventure inspired by Filipino folklore about two best friends who are transported to a mythical world where the very foundation of their friendship—their memories of each other—is put to the test.
In this episode, Joel and Januel join Jacqueline Coley to discuss Forgotten Island’s origins in their own 20-year friendship, using “every tool on their belts” as animators and filmmakers to explore the complexities of memory, and why H.E.R. and Liza Soberano couldn’t have been better cast as Jo and Raissa, the film’s leads. They also share memories from their early days working together as DreamWorks story artists, the lessons they learned from Puss in Boots: The Last Wish’s slow burn box office run, and the cinematic and cultural influences they drew on for Forgotten Island, from 90s anime and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind to The Hangover and Dumb and Dumber.
To watch the movies discussed in this episode and more, head to streaming.fandango.com
About Seen on the Screen with Jacqueline Coley
A podcast series hosted by Jacqueline Coley, Awards Editor at Rotten Tomatoes. Claim your ticket to witness the personal narratives happening behind the scenes of film and entertainment. Each episode invites you into intimate conversations with filmmakers, actors and industry insiders.
See all episodes →
