Forgotten Island co-director Joel Crawford made a surprising revelation about a character who instantly became a fan favorite after the film's first trailer: Raww the weredog. Releasing on September 25, the film is set in the Philippines during the 1990s. DreamWorks Animation's upcoming 2026 fantasy movie revolves around lifelong best friends Jo (H.E.R.) and Raissa (Liza Soberano). They stumble through a mysterious portal that transports them to the fantastical island of Nakali.
This realm is populated by mythical creatures drawn from Filipino folklore, such as aswang, tiyanak, the Ibong Adarna, and the dreaded Manananggal (voiced by Disney legend Lea Salonga). Not every creature in Forgotten Island's Nakali is a villain, as Jo and Raissa meet an unlikely ally in the form of Raww, a well-meaning but hapless weredog voiced by Dave Franco.
Forgotten Island's Raww Age & Backstory Details Revealed
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Direct at MultiCon 2026, Forgotten Island co-director Joel Crawford confirmed that Raww is "centuries" old and he is the "only were-dog on the island." He also pointed out that Raww "never had a connection" with anyone until Jo and Raissa stumbled upon him.
Despite the age reveal, co-director Januel Mercado also teased that Raww's backstory in Forgotten Island is deliberately vague, emphasizing that he is a "lone wolf" with some sort of an arrangement with the Aswang:
The Direct: Speaking of Raww, what else can you tease about his backstory?
Januel Mercado: "Oh, that's a good question, because his backstory actually does kind of remain a little bit of a mystery. But you could see that he's kind of a lone wolf and trying to find his place in the island... He has little arrangements with some of the more powerful Aswang in the movie. I'll tell you that. That's how he gets by."
Joel Crawford: "But we always write bigger than what's on screen, because world building is so important. But there is something almost kind of epic with Raww's story. He's been around for centuries, and he's the only were-dog on the island, and he's never had a connection friendship until Jo and Raissa arrived. So, it gives you this long history of Raww."
Fans quickly embraced Raww's high-energy presence in the official Forgotten Island trailer. When asked about elevating him to one of the movie's central figures, Crawford explained that much of the decision stemmed from the need for a character who is "so excited for friendship and to be a part of something," as well as from Dave Franco's electric portrayal:
Crawford: "This movie is so much about friendship, and connections, and exploring the different examples of that, and we have Jo and Raissa. Jo played by H.E.R., Raissa played by Liza Soberano. But we really needed that dynamic of a person who is... so excited for friendship and to be a part of something, but often even covers, comedically, with how how needy he is. And Dave Franco just has this crazy, electric energy that... He is so funny and so genuine that when you're working with him, you can't help but just feel like you're best friends already. And so when it came to casting, it was a no-brainer for Raww."
In Philippine mythology, Raww is a were-aspin, a Filipino mythical dog rooted in the country's rich folklore of shapeshifters and aswang-adjacent beings. Creatures like the aspin often embody both the playful and the profound, existing on the margins of the community yet yearning for the warmth of "pakikisama" (harmonious belonging) and the collective spirit of "bayanihan." Raww being centuries old justifies the mythical creature's desperation to seek friendship and explains his over-the-top enthusiasm upon meeting Jo and Raissa.
The combination of Raww's ancient backstory and Franco's lively performance (the same energy he brought to voicing Insect King in Pixar's Hoppers) positions the character as both comic relief and an emotional anchor alongside the two leads, deepening the film's central themes of connection and belonging.
Joining Dave Franco, Liza Soberano, H.E.R., and Lea Salonga in the Forgotten Island cast are Manny Jacinto (who played Qimir in Star Wars: The Acolyte), Jenny Slate, Dolly de Leon, Jo Koy, and Ronny Chieng.
Why Raww's Centuries-Old Loneliness Makes Him the Unexpected Heart of Forgotten Island
What sets Raww apart from a typical animated sidekick is the quiet tragedy underneath the chaos. Being centuries old means the were-dog has watched countless potential friends come and go on Nakali, only to lose them to the island's memory-erasing nature. That long history of almost-connections is what fuels his over-the-top eagerness the second he meets Jo and Raissa (voiced by Liza Soberano, who co-starred with Kathryn Newton in Lisa Frankenstein).
Forgotten Island is expected to bank on Raww's duality, turning Raww from a simple comic relief into the emotional pulse of the story. This same yearning for connection has defined so many lonely figures in Philippine mythology for generations, from wandering aswang and "engkanto" to other shapeshifting beings who exist just outside the warmth of community.
This cultural parallel may also help explain the island's memory-erasing twist for newcomers: on Nakali, the longer anyone stays, the more their past fades. This twist turns even centuries-old residents like Raww into mere outsiders, still searching for a lasting pack, hoping he can find it in the pair of protagonists.
