ARTICLE
8 Reasons to Watch the Live-Action Remake of Disney's Mulan
By Rachelle / 03 Sep 2020 (Thursday)
After months of being in limbo due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Disney's Mulan is finally opening in cinemas!
Here are some fun facts about the film you can indulge in before you catch it on the big screen.
1. Disney's Mulan is the studio's first film to feature an all-star Asian cast! The film stars Liu Yifei in the titular role, Donnie Yen as Commander Tung, Jet Li as The Emperor, Jason Scott Lee as Rouran warrior leader Bori Khan, Gong Li as powerful witch Xian Lang, Tzi Ma as Mulan's father Hua Zhou and Rosalind Chao as Mulan's mother Hua Li. With Yoson An, Ron Yang, Jimmy Wong, Doua Moua, Chen Tang, Nelson Lee and Cheng Pei-Pei rounding out the cast in supporting roles.
2. 90% of Mulan's stunts were done by Liu Yifei herself. Despite having a stunt person around, the actress did pretty much most of the stunt work that includes horse riding, sword fighting, martial arts, and fighting in the battle sequences!
3. This version of the film will not feature Mushu, the fan-favorite dragon character voiced by Eddie Murphy in the original animated version of Mulan. It will instead include a phoenix, which is a sign of peace and prosperity in Chinese culture. This was done to ensure that the live-action remake stayed true to Chinese culture and traditions.
4. Expect to see new faces that will be gracing the screen in the live-action remake. A witch (played by Gong Li) will be added to the film as one of the villains. Mulan will be given a sister, and a new friend Chen Honghui (Yoson An), who is loosely based on the character Li Shang from the animated film.
5. Despite being set in China, Disney's Mulan was mostly shot in beautiful New Zealand, sharing some locations that were also used for the Lord of the Rings films! This was mostly due to director Niki Caro's suggestion for the production shoot to take place in her home country instead.
6. Don't expect any of the characters to burst into song. The live-action remake will not have any musical numbers that were present in its predecessor but it will have instrumental versions of some of the songs.
7. Christina Aguilera makes a comeback with providing soundtrack to Disney's Mulan. The singer who had previously shot to fame with the ballad "Reflection" from the original 1998 animated film has recorded two songs for the remake. One is a new song called "Loyal Brave True" and the other is a new version of "Reflection."
8. This is Disney's first live-action remake to receive a PG-13 rating. Likely due to the fight scenes that take place between the Imperial army and the Rouran warriors.
Are you excited to watch this on the big screen? We sure are! Disney's Mulan opens in cinemas September 4.