Trailer snapshot
DreamWorks and Universal just dropped a trailer that feels like a sleepover gone gloriously wrong—in the best way. Two best friends, a late-night portal, and an island straight out of the folktales your relatives used to whisper about. What starts as one last hangout becomes a race against time to keep their bond intact.
What happens (without spoiling too much)
Jo and Raissa are finishing high school and facing the classic adulting split. On their final night together they stumble into Nakali, a magical place full of creatures lifted from Filipino stories. Some are goofy sidekicks, others are proper nightmares. Together with a clumsy-but-lovable dog-man named Raww and a tiny crew of allies, the duo must get off the island before a terrible price—forgetting each other—becomes real.
The voices and the folks behind the camera
The movie is co-directed by Joel Crawford (who got kudos for Puss in Boots: The Last Wish) alongside Januel Mercado. The voice cast blends pop and film talent: H.E.R. gives Jo her voice, Liza Soberano plays Raissa, Dave Franco is the hapless Raww, and Lea Salonga takes on the island’s most chilling creature. Add in comedians and scene-stealers like Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy and Ronny Chieng and you’ve got a cast likely to swing from heartfelt to hilarious in one line.
The stakes: emotional, not just spooky
Yes, there are monster set pieces—think looming folklore beasts and some sharp scares—but the real tension is emotional. The island demands a memory as the toll for leaving, so every battle is also a fight to remember who you are to each other. It’s an inventive twist that turns monster movie mechanics into an emotional deadline.
Tone and why it should click with audiences
Expect laugh-out-loud moments, warm fuzzies, and a few pulse-quickening beats. The trailer sells a friend-centered adventure that leans into cultural folklore without getting too dark. It’s family-friendly with heart, and it seems to balance mythic spectacle and tender friendship really well.
Final takeaway
If you like your animated adventures with equal parts quirk, mythology, and emotional stakes, this one looks ready to deliver. Mark your calendar for the theatrical release on September 25 and prepare to root for friendship—especially the kind you’d fight a monster to save.