https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01ON04GCwKs
Disney returns to its badass female soldier in Mulan, the latest animated classic to get the live-action treatment.
With its action-packed story and Chinese protagonist, 1998’s Mulan has long been a favorite among those craving something different from Disney princesses. Granted, it still had Disney staples like wisecracking sidekicks and catchy songs, but the tale of a young woman taking her father’s place in the Imperial Army is progressive even by today’s Disney standards. This version is putting an even more serious spin on the legend of Hau Mulan, removing the beloved songs and the dragon guardian Mushu to let the feminist elements shine.
Disney seems well aware of everything Mulan stands for in its canon, and they smartly gave the director gig to Niki Caro, marking just the second time a woman has directed a film with a $100+ million budget for the studio. They had been searching for an Asian director, but after talks with several people fell through, the studio turned their attention to female directors. New Zealdander Caro has been working consistently since her breakout, Whale Rider, but a financial success like Mulan is destined to be would boost her to a new level in the industry.
Taking on the titular character is Liu Yifei, a well-known actress in China whose casting announcement was met with great relief from those fearing the project may get whitewashed. Co-starring is Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Jason Scott Lee, Yoson An, and Gong Li.
Remaking a beloved movie will always cause some trepidation, but with such a strong group bringing a different spin to the legend of Mulan, they just might pull this off.
Mulan is directed by Niki Caro and stars Liu Yifei, Donnie Yen, and Jason Scott Lee. It will be released in the US and the UK on March 27th, 2020. For international release dates, click here.
Do you think they will pull off this remake? Let us know in the comments!
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