Thoughts on the Live-Action 'Mulan' Film

Hello, fellow moviegoers!
   With the release of Disney’s live-action version of Beauty and the Beast this past weekend, interest in the upcoming live-action versions of these fairy tales is at a high point. For the most part, critics and audiences are agreeing that the new Beauty and the Beast was very entertaining, so naturally many people find themselves asking “What’s next?”. Well, there’s a lot more live-action films based on Disney animated movies coming down the drain. There’s the Dumbo movie directed by Tim Burton, there’s The Little Mermaid with Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda doing the music, there’s the “live-action” take on The Lion King from Jungle Book director Jon Favreau, and many, many more. However, the closest one we’ll see in theaters is a take on the 1998 fan-favorite, Mulan, which will hit theaters in November of 2018.

   First off, I want to fawn a little bit about how much I love Mulan. The 1998 film is a perfect embodiment of what makes Disney’s animated films great. They have fantastic characters (I would consider Mulan to be my favorite “Disney Princess”), engaging plots, catchy songs, and just the right amount of emotional weight to them. Mulan is one of Disney’s best animated films to date, and it’s a story that’s ripe for a live-action interpretation.
   The film already has Mcfarland, USA director Niki Caro attached to helm the project, and in a recent interview with Moviefone, Caro described the film as “a big, girly martial arts epic. It will be extremely muscular and thrilling and entertaining and moving.” Disney executive Sean Bailey also gave some details as to the tone of the film. He described it as “an empowered female story…a little more muscular, stronger, with a touch of Ridley Scott.” So it looks like Disney is really looking to make an epic movie with their retelling of Mulan. The tale of Mulan is one that well deserves great action film adaptation. Despite being animated, the action scenes in the 1998 film really managed to get your blood pumping. Just imagine what they could do in live-action!
   One of the most exciting things about this new live-action Mulan will be the cast. Thankfully, we won’t have to worry about white-washing with this film, because Disney is looking to have an entirely Chinese cast involved. Disney has even claimed to be conducting a global search to find the right actress to play the titular character. While no casting announcements have been made yet, I would assume we should be hearing some sooner rather than later. If Disney is going to make that 2018 release date, they should be getting decently close to finishing pre-production.
   There have been a few reports swirling over the past week that are a bit concerning about the project. Mainly, it is being reported that the film won’t feature any musical numbers. Director Niki Caro commented saying “Yes, from what I understand, no songs right now, much to the horror of my children.” While Mulan without the likes of “Reflection” and “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” might not be exactly what fans want, keep in mind that a lot could change between now and the film’s release. So, don’t count the music out quite yet. There has been another rumor making its rounds that claims the film doesn’t feature the character of General Li Shang, though keep in mind that’s just a rumor, so take it with a grain of salt until we hear an official announcement from Disney.
   In my opinion, if there were any animated Disney film most deserving of a live-action retelling, it would be Mulan. The story of Mulan is one that I believe would work best in a live-action format. While it may be concerning that the film might not be a musical, keep in mind that neither was 2015’s Cinderella, and that turned out great! Almost everything that has come out of this project so far has been extremely exciting, and it’s definitely one of my most anticipated films of the next couple years. Mulan will hit theaters on November 2, 2018.

​   So what do you think about the idea of a live-action Mulan film? Do you think it could work without the music? Let me know by commenting on this post! Also, if you enjoyed this article, share it on Facebook and Twitter. It really helps! Don’t forget, I post every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, so check back then for more movie reviews and miscellaneous movie thoughts!
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