Forgotten Island has become a beloved animated film, and it only came out a month ago. The film's vibrant colors, chaotic energy, and unique world hooked everyone who saw it. With the film now available digitally on demand, The Direct sat down with the film's directors, Joel Crawford and Januel P. Mercado, to discuss a very important question: What memory did Jo's Lola give to Batiba?
The animated film introduces Jenny Slate's Batiba early on in the film, but after a while, audiences are let in on the secret that she's actually a memory-stealing demon. She's the reason Jo and Raissa couldn't remember their adventure on Nakali—they had unintentionally given their memory of their crazy night right to Batiba, adding to her already abundant power. In the film's climactic moments, Jo even almost gave away the memory of her entire friendship with Joe.
At the start of the film, it's told to audiences that Jo's Lola has visited Nakali and had her own adventure there. Given that fact, one would have to assume that she also ran into Batiba, meaning she would have given a memory as well.
Januel P. Mercado confirmed that "the audience knows that [Lola] clearly had an adventure," and then went on to admit to The Direct that they "don't really know what [that memory] is."
"We do write bigger for a lot of the moments in the movie," Joel Crawford added, while also explaining how they feel keeping some things to the audience's imagination "contribute[s] to the world-building."
While the duo wouldn't share the specific memory that Lola gave away, they did reveal that there's an Easter egg in Batiba's lair that confirmed Jo's Lola did in fact cross paths with Batiba.
Mercado happily revealed that "In Batiba's den, there is an object that is Lola's," elaborating that "She has her own butterfly knife."
Forgotten Island Directors Address Lola's Lost Memory
"The Audience Knows That She Clearly Had an Adventure..."
- The Direct: "I'm happy you guys brought up Lola because I did also want to ask, the film doesn't address what memory she lost. So what memory did she lose?"
Januel P. Mercado: Yeah, we don't really know what it is, but we know that there's—and the audience knows that she clearly had an adventure, her own adventure [in Nakali].
Joel Crawford: We do write bigger for a lot of the moments in the movie, and then just figuring out what belongs on screen. So yeah, there are a few things like that, and I think they all contribute to the world-building...
Mercado: Even though we can't see what the memory was—Should we mention the Easter egg?... In Batiba's den, there is an object that is Lola's. That is her—She has her own butterfly knife. You know, she gave one to Jo, and this came from the story of Dahli telling us that, and she was really connecting to Lola. She said, 'Oh, my best friend, this kid gave me a butterfly knife, and I still have that butterfly knife.' So we're like, 'Oh, send us a picture, and we'll model it. We'll put it as an Easter egg.' But that's the item.
Was an After-Credits Scene Ever Considered for Forgotten Island?
"We Have So Much More Story to Tell."
- The Direct: "Was there ever a consideration for [an after-credits scene], whether it be a fun little gag or any sort of setup for something?"
Joel Crawford: We have so much more story to tell. But with this one, [it] was easy because by the time we arrived at the end credits, it was like, this movie feels so important for really celebrating the friendships we have, the connection we have. That in a way, anything more than than photos and seeing the real people who made this movie would distract and detract from...
Director Janual P. Mercado made sure to add that he is "a fan of fantasy and bigger stories," and so he "always loves giving you teases and stuff."
Januel P. Mercado: That's a good point of just leaving you with that feeling. I personally would have loved the [something with Manananogg]... I just love the character of Manang, and again, we love this bigger world. As a fan of fantasy and bigger stories, I always love giving you teases and stuff. But the point you made is [is good]
Crawford: The magic of the movie, and any movies really, is like bringing the audience to a fantastical world to see magic, right? But the beautiful thing about film and this movie is that you are brought back to your own world to celebrate the magic that already exists in it. And by leaving it with those photos, I feel like that's where you're like, 'Oh yeah, wait, the memories that me and my friends share, the moments we share, that's the magic,' and [so we] absolutely [had] to have that as the final thing—that's why.
