Everything is coming up Disney.
Aladdin has been in theatres, The Lion King is on its way this July, and The Little Mermaid recently cast its Ariel.
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While there’s so much going on, that hasn’t stopped fans from noticing all the changes in the new “Mulan” trailer.
Let’s just say, this isn’t your 1998 Mulan anymore …
In fact, the hype around the movie is so huge that the trailer just joined the list of top 10 most viewed online trailers!
Now that’s what I’m talking about!
The new live-action “Mulan” is quickly shaping up to be unlike any Disney remake we’ve ever seen.
It features a majority Asian cast, including Chinese-American actress Liu Yifei who plays Mulan.
Other cast members include Jet Li, Donnie Yen, Gong Li, and Yoson An.
Mulan is already been unlike other Disney films since it doesn’t center around a stereotypical princess who needs a man to save her.
But now, even the live-action version is different from original 1998 animated movie.
The teaser trailer was just released for the movie.
And let’s just say, things are looking different …
For starters, it looks more like a period drama than a Disney movie.
There’s a very serious tone to the trailer, which makes sense since the story revolves around war and breaking societal norms.
There likely won’t be any sing-along music since it’s not a musical.
RIP the iconic “I’ll Make A Man Out of You.”
Instead, songs will be instrumental.
“Yes, from what I understand, no songs right now, much to the horror of my children,” the film’s director, Niki Caro, said back in 2017.
Noooooo.
We might be saying goodbye to fan-favorite Mushu! He’s reportedly now replaced by a phoenix.
He was played by Eddie Murphy in the original flick.
As you can guess, the internet has not been happy that Mushu wasn’t part of the trailer.
To add insult to injury, crew members have even been spotted wearing jackets that feature a phoenix on it.
Is it even a Disney movie if there are no talking animals?!
Sorry, ladies, there will be no Li Shang.
Mulan’s love interest in the film is Chen Honghui, played by Yoson An.
He plays the “chief rival” who only falls for Mulan *after* he learns that she’s a woman.
Bring back Li Shang and his gorgeous man bun!!
The Hun leader, Shan Yu, is replaced by another villain.
Things are taking a turn for the supernatural as the new villain in Mulan is a female witch named Xianniang.
This new “powerful witch” is played by Gong Li.
So many changes!
Surprise! They’re giving Mulan a sister.
Chinese-Vietnamese actress Xana Tang will play Hau Xiu, Mulan’s sister.
Okay, sister!
There was no sister in the 1998 version or the legend that inspired Mulan , so we’ll see how it plays out.
The Emperor is not the one we remember.
In the 1998 version, we remember the Emperor of China being very old, wise, and with a long beard.
In the live-action remake, the Emperor is played by Jet Li.
While this sounds totally awesome, fans are skeptical of him fitting the “old” mold of what we remember since the actor is only 56.
Meanwhile, the Emperor in the film was like 98 …
While news of no music or Mushu may disappoint fans of the original Disney film, it’s important to remember why Disney has chosen to exclude these elements this time around.
“Disney is aggressively targeting China,” the BBC reports .
“Mulan” tanked in China when it was first released in 1998.
Disney is hoping to win over the country with this more authentic version of their beloved heroine.
The original Disney film showed a lot of stereotypical Chinese aspects and many felt it was culturally offensive.
“[The Disney original] was trying so hard to be Chinese, but in a stereotypical way – there’s lanterns, fireworks.. they even stuck a panda in there. The humour, the pacing the relationships, are either wholly American, or what America imagines China would be like,” Ms Ni told the BBC.
Ms Ni continued, “[From the] tone of the [new] trailer, [it looks] much closer to the original legend than the 1998 animation and therefore closer to Hua Mulan as the Chinese know her – the brave young woman who upholds her duty to state and family.”
They concluded, “I think this time round, the live action will have a much better chance of winning over Chinese audiences.”
For more differences, check out the movie trailer for yourself!
Will you still be watching Mulan when it hits theatres on March 27, 2020?
