There’s been a lot of live-action Disney news running around, with The Lion King coming to theaters and The Little Mermaid filling out its cast. Now we’ve got the first trailer for Mulan, and it doesn’t look much at all like its original Disney film.
Here’s the official film synopsis from Disney:
When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father. Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her inner-strength and embrace her true potential. It is an epic journey that will transform her into an honored warrior and earn her the respect of a grateful nation…and a proud father.
We see Liu Yifei as Mulan kicking a ton of ass on the battlefield, be it with sword or bow and arrow. It looks like the story is slightly changed this time, where Mulan has been matched rather than having to win over the matchmaker. It also looks like much more of the focus will be on the fighting rather than the human drama, which feel very un-Disney but definitely more like the other adaptations of this story I’ve seen.
The new fighting-focused narrative isn’t the only changes coming down the line. There will reportedly be instrumental versions of the songs from the original film, but there will be no singing, and there is no Mushu either, though someone had been cast in the role. Still, the focus on the battles means that we’ll get a lot more action, which could make for a great film that brings something new to the table rather than trying to copy what worked about the old one.
Mulan premieres in theaters on March 27, 2020.
