2019 delivered three Disney live-action remakes, Dumbo, Aladdin, and Lion King, and all three were big old failures in my book. This despite the fact that they made jaw-dropping amounts of cash at the international box office. If this latest look at Mulan is any indication of things going forward, perhaps the studio has found a way forward without going the whole literal shot-for-shot remake route. Directed by New Zealand filmmaker Niki Caro (Whale Rider) and starring a Chinese cast including Liu Yifei as Mulan, martial arts master Donnie Yen as Commander Tung, Yoson An as love interest Chen Honghui, Tzi Ma as Mulan’s father and Jet Li (yes, that Jet Li) and the emperor of China.
There are some very notable changes to the story in this live-action version of Mulan, the absence of dragon Mooshu for example, and there’s still no instances of musical numbers, aside from some familiar musical cues primed to tap into the nostalgia center of Mulan fans. In their recent output, Disney has weaponized nostalgia, opting to repackage the hits than pursue anything original so here’s hoping that Mulan is a step towards a brighter future, box office be damned.
Have a peek at the live-action version of Mulan below.
Mulan will hit theaters March 27, 2020.
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By: Matt Oakes
Started blogging about film in college when the university paper wouldn’t have him. Dislikes your consensus film Twitter favorites. Devotee of horror movies that make him die a little inside. Catches films at festivals when he can. Proud SFCS and OFCS member and Tomatometer-approved critic. Editor-in-chief of Silver Screen Riot.
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