The Walt Disney Company has had a number of live-action remakes in recent years. Though it's a debated topic over whether these films are needed, the live-action remakes' soaring box office numbers make it clear that people are watching these films.
Mulan is the latest animated film to get a live-action remake. The film is set to come out in March 2020 and from the looks of the trailers, it's going to be full of action and heart just like the animated film. However, unlike some of the past live-action films, Disney promises Mulan will not be a shot-by-shot remake and instead will incorporate new ideas into the beloved classic.
15 Casting The Perfect Mulan Was An Incredibly Hard Task To Accomplish
The Walt Disney Company knew that casting the perfect Mulan was going to be key to the film's success -- especially when fans launched a petition to make sure that Disney didn't whitewash the role. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney visited five different continents and watched over 1,000 actresses read for the part of Mulan before finding their star. In the end, Chinese actress Liu Yifei (or Crystal Liu) landed the iconic role.
14 The Director, Niki Caro, Has Worked With Disney Before
Niki Caro is no stranger to the director's chair or the Walt Disney Company. In 2015, she directed Disney's McFarland, USA which grossed $44.5 million in North America. With Caro serving as the director for Mulan, she becomes the second female director to direct a Disney film with an over $100 million budget.
13 Most Of The Filming Was Done In New Zealand
One would think that a movie about China would do most of its filming in China, but that's not the case with Mulan. In fact, most of the filming for the film was done in New Zealand. Perhaps that had to do with Niki Caro's New-Zealand roots. Even though most of the filming did occur in New Zealand, some scenes were shot in mainland China.
12 Liu Yifei Did Most Of Her Own Stunts
It's pretty uncommon for actors to do their own stunts, which is why stunt doubles are such an intrinsic part of the Hollywood community. Unfortunately for the Mulan stunt double, Liu Yifei decided to do her own stunts while filming. According to an interview Mandy Walker, the film's cinematography, did with Insider, Yifei would train with her stunt double and ended up doing 90% of the scenes on her own.
11 Disney Wanted To Make Sure To Respect Chinese Culture & Traditions
When Disney released the first trailer for Mulan, people took to the internet to complain about the lack of Mushu. While Mushu played a comedic-relief role in the animated film, he won't be present in the live-action remake. It was a choice Disney made to ensure that the live-action remake stayed true to Chinese culture and traditions. Instead, Disney has chosen to include a phoenix in the film, which is a sign of peace and prosperity in Chinese culture.
10 Mulan Will Have To Face Off Against New Villians
In the animated film, Mulan must defeat the Hun Army and take down their powerful leader Shan Yu to save China. This time, Mulan will face off against two villains. The first of which is Xian Lang (Gong Li) who is a powerful witch who can transform into a hawk. In addition to Xian Lang, Mulan will also have to deal with Bori Khan (Jason Scott Lee), who teams up with Lang to avenge his father's death. With two new villains, it seems that the Hun Army will not be present in the live-action Mulan.
9 The Remake Will Blend The Animated Story With The Original Ballad
While the live-action Mulan is a remake of the 1998 Disney animated feature, the animated feature wasn't exactly original. The origins of Mulan stem from the Chinese ballad of Hua Mulan but Disney seemed to abandon the original story with the animated film. This time, Disney plans on combining our favorite elements from the animated film with elements from the original ballad.
8 Instead Of Feeling Alone While In Training, Mulan Will Have A Mentor This Time Around
In the animated film, Mulan struggles through her training and ultimately decides to train herself in order to prove herself to Shang and the rest of the army. Things are going to be a bit different this time around since Mulan is getting a mentor. Commander Tung (Donnie Yen) will serve as Mulan's mentor and will help her gain respect and success in the Imperial Regiment.
7 Beloved Characters Yao, Ling, & Chien Po Will Make An Appearance
With the loss of Mushu, many fans were worried about the fate of Mulan's only friends Yao, Ling, and Chien Po. Lucky for us, the misfit trio will return to the big screen. While it's unclear how big a part these characters will have in the new narrative, we're just happy to see them included.
6 The Film Will Be Rated PG-13
In a first for Disney's live-action remakes, Mulan has been given a PG-13 rating in the US by the MPAA. The rating stems from the film's "sequences of violence" during the battle scenes. Not only is this Disney's first live-action remake to earn the PG-13 rating, but it's also the first live-action film of theirs to be rated as such since 2017. The rating could impact Mulan's box office numbers given the higher rating.
5 Mulan Will Not Be A Musical
Unlike Disney's other live-action princess remakes, Mulan will not be a musical like its animated counterpart. Niki Caro has confirmed that the characters will not burst into song this time around. The decision was due in part to Caro wanting the film to be more realistic than the animated feature. Even though we won't see the characters sing the beloved songs, Caro has confirmed that the iconic songs will be included in the film in other ways.
4 Mulan Will Have A Sister This Time Around
Another new addition to the live-action Mulan comes in the form of Mulan's family. In the animated film, Mulan is an only child, but this time around she has a younger sister. While it's unclear what role Hua Xiu (Xana Tang) will play, some have speculated that she will take over the Grandmother's role from the animated film.
3 We Won't Get To See Mulan Dramatically Cut Off Her Hair This Time Around
One of the most iconic scenes in the animated film comes when Mulan slices off her hair with her father's sword. It's symbolic in that it shows us that she's starting a new life and leaving her old one behind. It's also important because she fears her long hair will give her away as a woman. While it's not confirmed that this scene won't appear in the live-action reboot, it seems like a safe claim to make given that Mulan is shown with long, flowy hair in several of the film's battle scenes.
2 Li Shang Won’t Be Making An Appearance And Some Fans Aren’t Happy About It
Another original character getting the boot is Li Shang. Instead, the live-action film will introduce Chen Honghui (Yoson An), a military recruit who falls for Mulan only after he learns that she is a woman. Fans of the original were quick to criticize this move, claiming that Disney was erasing a bisexually coded character. Though Disney never intended to create a bisexual character, many members of the LGBTQ community have declared him as such.
1 The Original Release Date Was Pushed Back
It's no surprise movies take a long time to make and schedules change. Thanks to Disney's extended efforts to cast the perfect Mulan, production had to be pushed back and thus so did the release date. Mulan was originally supposed to hit theaters in November of 2018 but now will be released on March 27, 2020. From the look so the trailers, the wait will have been worth it.