Dreamworks Unveils Its Dreamiest Animated Character Since Shrek

Netflix and Sony won't deliver the next dose of Kpop Demon Hunters for at least a few more years, but in the meantime, DreamWorks is poised to fill that void with something arguably even better. The Universal-owned animation studio is set to release its new film, Forgotten Island. Polygon has scored an exclusive image from the upcoming movie ahead of release on Sept. 25.

The image shows protagonists Jo (HER) and Raissa (Liza Soberano) alongside a hunky blue character with a fishnet shirt and starfish covering their nipples. That the character is Mermahn, the Prince of Kataw people in Forgotten Island. Maybe you caught on, but the name is a clever play on the character's half-fish design.

Polygon asked the film's co-directors, Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado, for more info about Mermahn via email. Here's what they told us:

Ah yes. Prince Merhman. Son of King Merdad. Heir to the Pearl Throne and wielder of Tidebreaker (a trident sword)! Prince Mermahn is a shallow, self-absorbed merman thirsty for validation who becomes part of the Wild Pack during Jo and Raissa's journey on Nakali.

He is voiced by Kevin McCann. Throughout our production process, many of us provided temp or "scratch" voices before we brought in the actors. Kevin's scratch was just too good to NOT use. So we kept him in the film! He was part of the editorial team on 'Forgotten Island' as well as 'Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.' And fun fact: he also voiced the character "Ethical Bug" in that film! He's super talented.

You'll have to wait until Forgotten Island's release to learn more about Mermahn. For now, here's everything we do know about the movie.

Pushing the limits of 2D animation

Image: Dreamworks

Joel Crawford previously directed Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which pushed the limits of animation in some fascinating ways, so we were curious how he and Mercado evolved that style even further with this new film. Here's their answer:

I think in 'Forgotten Island,' we were really excited to explore including more anime references and telling side-stories in 2D animation. Creating a new world from scratch in Nakali also afforded us the opportunity to really push our camera lens choices as well as our lighting design. We really want to immerse the audience in the 90s era in terms of color and vibe.

What's the plot of Forgotten Island?

Forgotten Island is the story of two friends who accidentally travel to another realm and have to find their way home before they forget about their past lives. Here's the official synopsis:

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. 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.

Who's in the cast of Forgotten Island?

Image: DreamWorks

Here's a breakdown of the full cast:

• HER as Jo
• Liza Soberano as Raissa
• Dave Franco as Raww
• Manny Jacinto as Bungi (a Tiyanak)
• Jenny Slate as Batiba (a Batibat)
• Lea Salonga as The Dreaded Manananggal
• Dolly de Leon as Lola Fatima (Jo's grandmother)
• Jo Koy as Datu
• Ronny Chieng as King Truffle Wuffle
• Kevin McCann as Mermahn, the Prince of Kataw

When does Forgotten Island release in theaters?

Forgotten Island arrives in theaters on Sept. 25.