‘Mulan’ gets a new vision
We hope live-action remake sticks to the script.
Twenty years ago Tuesday, Disney’s “Mulan” hit theaters and inspired viewers with lessons of perseverance and girl power. Now, there’s a reboot in the works for release in 2020. Unlike Disney’s previous live-action remakes, this one won’t mirror the original.
The basic premise is the same: A young woman named Mulan pretends to be a man to enter the army and save her father. But director Niki Caro says her version probably won’t feature any songs and is inspired by the original Chinese ballad as well as the movie musical.
Of all the Disney princess stories to re-create, “Mulan” might be the best choice right now: a story about a woman defying gender stereotypes to succeed in a male-dominated field feels particularly pointed in today’s climate. That considered, here are 20 reasons why the remake should stay faithful to the animated original.
1 The best live-action Disney remakes are the ones that most closely follow the original.
In all the most important ways, the
2017 “Beauty and the Beast” remake followed its counterpart to a T: settings, costumes, songs, you name it. Each star felt like a fan’s fake movie casting come true. That movie set a new record for family movies (just broken by “Incredibles 2”), opening with nearly $175 million at the box office. Contrast that with
2015’s “Cinderella,” which took more liberties with the tale, left out a few fan-favorite aspects and started with about $70 million.
2‘ I’ll Make a Man Out of You’ is an iconic moment in pop culture.
For those who grew up with “Mulan,” “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” is a powerful transformation scene. It’s also a tongue-in-cheek comment on sexism: Manning up is perceived as the only way to become strong enough to win the war, yet it’s Mulan who works harder than everyone else and rises to the occasion first. Any excuse to make that song relevant again is more than welcome.
3The 1998 movie is very, very funny.
Sean Bailey, Disney’s production president, told Vulture the “Mulan” remake would take a “Ridley Scott approach.” Caro added that the film will be “muscular and thrilling.” Neither of those descriptions leaves a ton of room for humor (you can’t exactly find “Alien” in the comedy section on Netflix), despite the fact that it’s the unsung hero of the original “Mulan”: some slapstick, some physical, some ironic, but nevertheless a major part of the movie’s DNA.
4The action is epic.
The original “Mulan” has its fair share of intense battle moments. (See: Mulan’s cannon-induced avalanche or her climactic sword fight while wearing a dress.)
5How could anyone be hotter than Li Shang?
Disney announced earlier this month that Chinese actor Yoson An would take on the role of Chen Honghui, an army recruit and Mulan’s eventual love interest, replacing her original beau, army captain Li Shang. But raise your hand if you’d like to see the live-action version of this guy.
6There’s potential to explore Shang as a bisexual character ...
A number of fans have theorized that Shang is bisexual, speculating that he developed feelings for Ping, Mulan’s male alter ego, before she revealed herself to be a woman. Disney has the chance here to please a lot of fans after “Beauty and the Beast’s” “LeFou is gay” reveal fell short of expectations. But Disney’s casting call for Honghui specified that the character’s romantic feelings surface only after learning that his army rival is actually a woman, so that story line seems unlikely.
7... and to explore gender politics and identity as a whole.
The first few minutes of the musical focus on Mulan’s disdain for the societal expectations set for her as a woman. “Now I see that if I were truly to be myself, I would break my family’s heart,” she sings in “Reflection.”
8We’ll inevitably get fun pop versions of key songs.
Remember when Ariana Grande and John Legend graced us all with a killer rendition of “Beauty and the Beast”? Would anybody say no to a cover of “Reflection” by Selena Gomez or “True to Your Heart” by Bruno Mars?
9What’s not to love about Mushu?
The tiny dragon with a very large personality and a lot to prove (originally played by Eddie Murphy) could be voiced by Chris Rock or Kevin Hart.
10Mulan’s grandmother delivers the greatest lines.
Another dose of comic relief, Mulan’s grandmother lends the original movie a couple of its best lines. (Example: When Mulan asks Shang if he’d like to stay for dinner, her grandmother counters offscreen, “Would you like to stay forever?”)
11The cricket is a solid sidekick.
Yet another funny side character. What’s a Disney movie without a few of those?
12Mulan has a dog, adorably named Little Brother.
Cute puppy. Enough said.
13The horse is a hoot.
More animals! On the way to army training, Mulan’s horse and Mushu hilariously don’t get along.
14The Emperor gets it.
“You stole your father’s armor, ran away from home, impersonated a soldier, deceived your commanding officer, dishonored the Chinese Army, destroyed my palace,” he says. “And ... you have saved us all.”
15It features a villain you’ll love to hate.
The leader of the Huns, Shan-Yu, is the quintessential, chillingly evil Disney bad guy.
16The ancestors are casting gold.
Another batch of goofy characters who could be great potential cameo roles for more big-name actors.
17Flowers play a role in the story and translate into gorgeous scenery ...
“Flowers blooming in adversity” is a key theme throughout, which means beautiful blossoms brighten important scenes.
18... and there are other scenes that would look amazing on camera, too.
The fireworks and lanterns that illuminate the final fight scene in front of the palace are beautiful in ’90s-style 2D animation. Think about how cool that could look IRL.
19It’s a love story built on respect and equality.
Shang gets to know Mulan as part of the same team working toward a common goal, not as a princess in need of saving. Though he’s initially mistrusting when he discovers Mulan is a woman, he realizes his mistake after Mulan confronts him: “You said you’d trust Ping,” she says. “Why is Mulan any different?”
20‘ Reflection’ is a beautiful number ... despite a fundamental misinterpretation of how makeup works.
“Reflection” is another iconic Disney ballad that deserves a live-action treatment. Though if the new version forgoes musical numbers, maybe Caro is just trying to avoid the most unrealistic animation in the entire movie: Mulan removing an entire face of makeup with just one swipe of her sleeve.