Lea Salonga sees ‘Forgotten Island’ as a win despite box-office performance

MANILA — Lea Salonga is not counting “Forgotten Island” out despite its modest box-office performance, saying the DreamWorks Animation film has already achieved something important by introducing Filipino mythology to international audiences.

“I still count that as a win,” Salonga, who voiced the dreaded manananggal in the animated fantasy adventure, said in an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News.

The film has grossed about $50.2 million worldwide, including $30.3 million in North America and $19.9 million in international markets, according to Box Office Mojo. Its reported production budget is $80 million.

Salonga said she had no particular expectations for the film’s commercial performance and cautioned against judging its success solely by theatrical receipts.

“Just because something has been perceived to not do so great at the box office, all of a sudden, it’s a flop,” she said.

“For me, it’s like, this movie got made. This movie got green-lit. And, you know, DreamWorks could have said, ‘This is not gonna make money,’ hence we will not green-light this. But they still did.”

The actress said she sees value in bringing original stories from different parts of the world to a wider audience, particularly those rooted in cultures that may be unfamiliar to international moviegoers.

In “Forgotten Island,” best friends Jo and Raissa find themselves on the mystical island of Nakali, where they encounter creatures drawn from Filipino folklore, including the manananggal.

“There is going to be a segment of the public that will want to see original stories that are set in different parts of the world,” Salonga said. “And have the wider audience realize that we are not also different from one another, in our dreams and aspirations and our hopes.”

She added that the film introduces international audiences to creatures that Filipinos have long known through folklore, including the manananggal and the tiyanak.

“We got to share our mythology with the world,” she said. “I still count that as a win.”

Salonga also pointed out that the film’s theatrical rollout is still continuing in other territories, adding that its overall performance should not be judged solely on its initial North American box-office results.

She noted that studios earn revenue through various channels, including streaming and home-video sales, beyond theatrical ticket sales.

The actress also cited the film’s performance in the Philippines, where she said it had generated strong audience interest, including block screenings and theaters rented out for viewing parties.

The film earned P97.2 million in its opening weekend in the Philippines to score the biggest opening for a DreamWorks Animation film of all time in the country.

“I’m like, those are FPJ-level numbers,” she said, referring to the blockbuster appeal associated with late Filipino action star Fernando Poe Jr.

The film has also received a strong critical response, earning a 95% critics’ score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

Salonga said she hopes audiences will continue discovering the film, not only for its story but also for the mythology it brings to the screen.

“As long as people go eventually or find it eventually, then it’s still a win because now people know what a manananggal is,” she said. “It used to be just our people, but now other people know what that’s about and how terrifying it is.”