Disney has released the teaser for their live-action remake of Mulan, the beloved animated musical-action film that released back in 1998.
The teaser offered an in-depth look at the film’s tone, which has undergone a thorough makeover, seeing how it showcased none of the music that defined the animation and formed a backbone for its narrative through exposition that took place with well-crafted set-pieces.
Understandably, fans are divided over the direction of the film’s headed.
Many sprung to film’s defense and lauded its decision to do away with the music and humor of the original in favor of a more somber, realistic narrative that will focus on action sequences, whilst other disparaged its lack of ability to be light-hearted and criticized the move to exclude Mushu, Mulan’s guardian dragon, from the equation.
A vocal minority of observers with Chinese heritage also took to social media and expressed that this was a reflection of Disney’s intent for the film to remain true to the ancient folk tale, which was essentially a war story, with none of the modern interpretations that we’ve become used to being added in the mix, including Mushu.
Of course, the full trailer is yet to be out, and the plethora of pre-existent fan theories might become redundant once it’s in the open, but only time will tell.
Based on the legendary Chinese folk tale about Hua Mulan, a woman who disguises herself as a man in order to take her father’s position in the army, the original animated film released in 1998 and quickly became among the Disney Renaissance’s most positively reviewed outings, grossing more than $300 million at the global box-office.
Starring Chinese superstar Liu Yifei in the eponymous role and directed by Niki Caro, the remake of Mulan will hit theaters on March 27th, 2020.