Disney is set to
release remakes to some of its biggest classics between this summer
and 2020. With remakes for Aladdin, Lion King and The
Little Mermaid either released or on the horizon, it seems only
natural that Mulan would soon follow. But Mulan fans might be
in for a bigger surprise than they bargained for, as talks of the
Mulan remake include a lot of deviation from the original movie. Will
the remake be as iconic as the original? Will Mulan’s
biggest fans be as infatuated with this live-action recreation? To
learn more about this rendition of the classic, check out all the
changes made to the Mulan remake so far.
The new version
will be live-action.
This isn’t too
surprising, as recent Disney remakes have been live-action as well.
The star studded cast will include Chinese-American actress Yifei Liu
playing Mulan, as well as Jet Li, Yoson An, Donnie Yen, and Gong Li.
This remake will
have a more serious tone.
There was an air of
playful fun and moments of lightheartedness in the original film that
will not transfer to the remake. The new version will take a more
serious and solemn tone, which could make for a totally different
film altogether.
There will be
little to no singing included.
One of the biggest
changes to the film is excluding with character singing that has
become iconic in many Disney classics. The movie soundtrack is said
to be mainly instrumental, which will drastically change the
atmosphere of the film.
The remake will
have a majority Asian cast.
Now this keeps in
line with the original film, but it is a big step towards increased
on-screen diversity for Disney. This is Disney’s first live-action
film to feature an almost all Asian cast. It’s also a big deal in
Hollywood, as its only one of a few big screen films with a mostly
Asian cast as well.
Mushu
unfortunately did not make the cut.
Mulan’s memorable
side kick Mushu will not make an appearance in the remake. The silly,
loveable dragon will be replaced by a phoenix, keeping with the more
serious feel of the movie. Many original fans of the movie may find
this the most drastic, even disappointing change set for the film.
There may be no
Shang in this version either.
One of the most
iconic aspects of the film may have been replaced: the tumultuous
relationship between Mulan and her commander Shang. There are talks
that Shang’s character will be replaced by a character named Chen,
who becomes Mulan’s rival, and then lover after he realizes she is
a woman.
The villain could
be a witch.
In the original film, the primary protagonist was the Hun leader Shan-Yu, a villainous, but normal human. The remake, though, may be replacing Shan-Yu with a witch, said to be played by Gong Li. There aren’t more details at the moment on this new villain character, but adding a witch to the mix will surely create a more supernatural tone to the film.
