Production on Disney’sMulan, a live-action adaptation of the studio’s 1998 animated feature, has begun, and title starLiu Yifeiis set to steal the show in the movie’s very first image.Mulantells the epic adventure of a fearless young woman who masquerades as a man to fight Northern Invaders attacking China. The eldest daughter of an honored warrior, Hua Mulan is spirited, determined and quick on her feet. When the Emperor issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army, she steps in to take the place of her ailing father as Hua Jun, becoming one of China’s greatest warriors ever. And as you can tell in this first image from the production, she’s very much up to the task.
Liu Yifei (The Forbidden Kingdom, Once Upon a Time) was cast as Hua Mulan following a year-long global casting search. Joining her in the film are:Donnie Yen(Star Wars: Rogue One);Jason Scott Lee(Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny);Yoson An(The Meg);Utkarsh Ambudkar(Pitch Perfect);Ron Yuan(Marco Polo);Tzi Ma(Arrival);Rosalind Chao(Star Trek: Deep Space Nine);Cheng Pei-Pei(Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon);Nelson Lee;Chum Ehelepola; withGong Li(Memoirs of a Geisha, Raise the Red Lantern) andJet Li. The film will shoot on locations in New Zealand and China and will open in U.S. theaters on June 08, 2025.
Check out the full image below:
Directed byNiki Caro(Whale Rider, McFarland USA) from a screenplay byRick Jaffa&Amanda Silver(Jurassic World, In the Heart of the Sea) andElizabeth Martin&Lauren Hynek, the film is based on the narrative poem “The Ballad of Mulan.” The producers areJason T. Reed(Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles),Chris Bender(A History of Violence) andJake Weiner(Criminal) withBarrie M. Osborne(The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King),Bill Kong(Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Monster Hunt) andTim Coddington(Crazy Rich Asians) serving as executive producers.
Disney’s animated feature, which was released in 1998, starredMing-Na Wen,Miguel FerrerandEddie Murphyand was nominated for an Oscar and two Golden Globe Awards. The story of the legendary warrior is one of China’s most popular folktales, and is still a part of the curriculum in Chinese schools today. It remains to be seen just how much of Disney’s new live-action tale will pull from the animated version versus the legend, but we’ll find out in 2020!
