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Thread: Mulan (2020)

  1. #31
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    This is a year old but it's just been brought to my attention

    I eschew politics here for the most part, but sometimes they are just unavoidable.

    I wonder if this will come back into play when this new movie comes out because Pence should still be in office then.

    Mike Pence Argued In An Op-Ed That Disney's "Mulan" Was Liberal Propaganda
    "Obviously, this is Walt Disney's attempt to add childhood expectation to the cultural debate over the role of women in the military," Pence wrote. Obviously.
    Andrew Kaczynski
    BuzzFeed News Reporter
    Posted on July 17, 2016, at 2:48 p.m. ET


    Jen Lewis/BuzzFeed

    When Donald Trump's running mate Mike Pence was a talk radio show host in Indiana, he wrote an op-ed declaring the film Mulan was an attempt by some "mischievous liberal" at Disney to influence the debate over women in the military.

    The 1999 op-ed ran on a website for Pence's radio program that was uncovered by BuzzFeed News.

    "Despite her delicate features and voice, Disney expects us to believe that Mulan's ingenuity and courage were enough to carry her to military success on an equal basis with her cloddish cohorts," wrote Pence. "Obviously, this is Walt Disney's attempt to add childhood expectation to the cultural debate over the role of women in the military."

    "I suspect that some mischievous liberal at Disney assumes that Mulan's story will cause a quiet change in the next generation's attitude about women in combat and they just might be right," Pence continued. "(Just think about how often we think of Bambi every time the subject of deer hunting comes into the mainstream media debate.)"

    Disney's film is based on the 6th century Ballad of Mulan.

    Pence argues Mulan's romance with a superior officer proved women cannot serve in the military.

    "It is instructive that even in the Disney film, young Ms. Mulan falls in love with her superior officer! Me thinks the politically correct Disney types completely missed the irony of this part of the story," writes Pence. "They likely added it because it added realism with which the viewer could identify with the characters. You see, now stay with me on this, many young men find many young women to be attractive sexually. Many young women find many young men to be attractive sexually. Put them together, in close quarters, for long periods of time, and things will get interesting. Just like they eventually did for young Mulan. Moral of story: women in military, bad idea."

    Here's the full text and a picture of the column on the site:
    Just spent a memorable Fathers Day, like so many other all American Hoosier dads, with my kids at the new Disney film entitled, "Mulan". For those who have not yet been victimized by the McDonald's induced hysteria over this film, Mulan is a fictional account of a delicate girl of the same name who surreptitiously takes her fathers place in the Chinese army in one of their ancient wars against the Huns. Despite her delicate features and voice, Disney expects us to believe that Mulan's ingenuity and courage were enough to carry her to military success on an equal basis with her cloddish cohorts. Obviously, this is Walt Disney's attempt to add childhood expectation to the cultural debate over the role of women in the military. I suspect that some mischievous liberal at Disney assumes that Mulan's story will cause a quiet change in the next generation's attitude about women in combat and they just might be right. (Just think about how often we think of Bambi every time the subject of deer hunting comes into the mainstream media debate.)

    The only problem with this liberal hope is the reality which intrudes on the Disney ideal from the mornings headlines. From the original "Tailhook" scandal involving scores of high ranking navy fighter pilots who molested subordinate women to the latest travesty at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, the hard truth of our experiment with gender integration is that is has been an almost complete disaster for the military and for many of the individual women involved. When Indiana Congressman Steve Buyer was appointed to investigate the Aberdeen mess, he shocked the public with the revelation that young, nubile, 18 year old men and women were actually being HOUSED together during basic training. Whatever bone head came up with this idea should be run out of this man's Army before sundown. Housing, in close quarters, young men and women (in some cases married to non-military personnel) at the height of their physical and sexual potential is the height of stupidity. It is instructive that even in the Disney film, young Ms. Mulan falls in love with her superior officer! Me thinks the politically correct Disney types completely missed the irony of this part of the story. They likely added it because it added realism with which the viewer could identify with the characters. You see, now stay with me on this, many young men find many young women to be attractive sexually. Many young women find many young men to be attractive sexually. Put them together, in close quarters, for long periods of time, and things will get interesting. Just like they eventually did for young Mulan. Moral of story: women in military, bad idea.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
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  2. #32
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    production begins

    i'm a little tardy with this one, but i just got back from vacation.

    Production Begins on Disney’s Live-Action Mulan Movie!
    BY CHRISTIAN LONG ON AUGUST 13, 2018



    Disney announced today that production on their live-action Mulan has begun. Based on the 1998 animated feature of the same name, the film will shoot on locations in New Zealand and China and will open in U.S. theaters on March 27, 2020.

    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 (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story); 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; with Gong Li (Memoirs of a Geisha, Raise the Red Lantern) and Jet Li (Shaolin Temple, Lethal Weapon 4).

    Mulan is the epic adventure of a fearless young woman who masquerades as a man in order 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.

    Mulan is directed by Niki Caro (Whale Rider, McFarland USA) from a screenplay by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver (Jurassic World, In the Heart of the Sea) and Elizabeth Martin & Lauren Hynek based on the narrative poem “The Ballad of Mulan.” The producers are Jason T. Reed (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Chris Bender (A History of Violence) and Jake Weiner (Criminal) with Barrie M. Osborne (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King), Bill Kong (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Monster Hunt) and Tim Coddington (Crazy Rich Asians) serving as executive producers.

    Disney’s animated feature, which was released in 1998, starred Ming-Na Wen, Miguel Ferrer and Eddie Murphy and was nominated for an Oscar and two Golden Globe® Awards.
    Gene Ching
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  3. #33
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    Doua Moua

    MN native Doua Moua lands role in live-action Mulan
    Minnesota native Doua Moua will star as Chien Po in Disney's live-action Mulan.
    Author: Heidi Wigdahl
    Published: 5:45 PM CDT August 23, 2018
    Updated: 8:10 PM CDT August 23, 2018

    ST. PAUL, Minn. -- It's been 20 years since we first met Mulan on the big screen. The 1998 Disney animated film is now getting the live-action treatment and one of the stars is from Minnesota.

    It was announced last week that Doua Moua had landed the role of Chien Po—one of Mulan's soldier friends. The story of Mulan follows a young woman who disguises herself as a man in order to take her father's place in the army.

    Moua now lives in Los Angeles but he grew up in St. Paul. His family immigrated to St. Paul in 1987 from Thailand.

    Moua spoke to KARE 11 via FaceTime from New Zealand. He's been training since June and just started shooting this week.

    "Fans should be expecting this film to be a little bit different from the recent live-action Disney movies," Moua said. "In China there were a lot of different stories that were told of Mulan. So the writers basically kind of read and did research to take all these elements and created this world but still have bits and parts to pay homage back to the original animated film."

    About his character, Chien Po, Moua said, "It has some similar characteristics of the same animation but with a little twist from me. And the amazing writers wrote an amazing role for me."


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    Disney

    @Disney
    Production has begun on live-action #Mulan!

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    The upcoming movie comes at a time when Crazy Rich Asians is a box office hit. The romantic comedy is the first major Hollywood film set in the present day to feature a majority Asian cast in 25 years.

    "There's a lack of Asian representation in the industry. So this is such an amazing time and moment for the Asian-American community to show Hollywood or the entertainment industry that... we are viable, and we come in packs, and we come as a community to support films that we want to tell," Moua said.

    While Moua has found success, (like for his role as Spider in Clint Eastwood's 2008 film Gran Torino) he'd like to see more changes.

    "We need to start showing that we need to be more diverse within the Asian community in the entertainment world, as well. And not be so, 'This role is for a... Chinese person, then it needs to be only for a Chinese actor,'" Moua said.

    Moua is also a screenwriter. His script "The Harvest" is a 2017 Academy Nicholl semi-finalist. He plans on filming the movie in Minnesota some day.

    "There are some projects that you read and you go audition for and it's amazing. But again, there's just one in a million scripts that are like that," Moua said. "It really depends on us as Asian-Americans to write for Asian-Americans and not be afraid of it."

    When talking about Mulan, Moua said, "The shots so far look amazing and beautiful. So expect to be amazed and come in and watch it from an open perspective because you'll be amazed from it."

    Mulan is scheduled to be released in U.S. theaters on March 27, 2020.
    I never saw Gran Torino. Anyone?
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  4. #34
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    Mushu



    EXCLUSIVE: Disney’s MULAN Remake To Feature Music; Mushu To Appear
    Fans rejoice!
    By Skyler Shuler On Sep 6, 2018

    Disney’s live-action adaptation of Mulan is currently in production. Shooting in both New Zealand and China. Starring Liu Yifei, who will be taking on the titular role of Mulan. The film has caused a little stir from fans regarding some aspects of the film. Well we hopefully have some news that may ease your thoughts.

    We have learned from a source working on the project that the film will indeed feature some of the music from the 1998 animated classic. Earlier this year director Niki Caro was asked by Moviefone if the rumor that songs wouldn’t appear in the film is true and Caro’s response was “Yes, from what I understand, no songs right now, much to the horror of my children.” The film was originally expected to start production earlier this year, so it is not known if production was delayed due to working the music in.

    We also learned from the source that Mulan’s fire breathing sidekick Mushu will also appear in the film.

    Mulan is the epic adventure of a fearless young woman who masquerades as a man in order 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.

    Directed by Niki Caro (The Zookeepers Wife) the film also stars Donnie Yen (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story); 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; with Gong Li (Memoirs of a Geisha, Raise the Red Lantern) and Jet Li (Shaolin Temple, Lethal Weapon 4).

    Disney’s live-action remakes have grossed over $4.5 billion at the worldwide box so far, and will look to continue that success with Mulan, and remakes of Dumbo, Aladdin, The Lion King, Sword In The Stone, Lady In The Tramp, Peter Pan, And The Little Mermaid all in active production and/or development.

    Disney’s Mulan will hit theaters on March 27, 2020.
    Mushu had my favorite line in the original movie:


    Although my second fav line goes to the Hun henchman:
    Gene Ching
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  5. #35
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    Who could refuse Mulan?

    Why Jet Li said yes to Mulan


    In April, Mulan's producers announced that Jet Li would be joining the cast, alongside stellar names such as Donnie Yen and Gong Li. PHOTO: THE NEW PAPER
    PUBLISHED OCT 24, 2018, 5:00 AM SGT

    SHANGHAI - Martial arts hero Jet Li had to concede defeat after a verbal duel with his daughter.

    The 15-year-old had asked him why he parried away approaches from Disney to act in the live-action reboot of 1998 animated movie Mulan.

    She reasoned his stature could give an extra lift to the new film that showcased Chinese culture.

    In a recent interview with Chinese talk-show host Chen Luyu, Li said he finally threw in the towel when his daughter found the weakest spot in his armour.

    She asked the 55-year-old to star in the movie - just for her, according to Tencent's QQ social platform. And which daddy could say no to his child's sweet request?

    In April, Mulan's producers announced that Li would be joining the cast, alongside stellar names such as Donnie Yen and Gong Li.

    The movie is slated to hit screens in 2020.

    On the programme called A Date With Luyu, Li looked healthy, a great relief for fans after photographs of him looking sick and frail had popped up earlier this year and stoked worries.

    Li had said previously that he suffered from hyperthyroidism and spinal problems from stuntwork injuries.

    On the show, Li also revealed why he said no to a role in The Matrix science-fiction sequels in the early 2000s.

    He recalled: "I realised the Americans wanted me to film for three months, but be with the crew for nine.

    "And for six months, they wanted to record and copy all my moves into a digital library. By the end of the recording, the right to these moves would go to them.

    "I was thinking: I've been training my entire life. And we martial artists could grow only older.

    "Yet, they could own (my moves), as an intellectual property, forever. So I said I couldn't do that."
    Posted about Jet & the Matrix elsewhere already.
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  6. #36
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    srsly netflix?

    Jan 1, 2019 Ξ
    Ming Na Wen Calls Out Netflix for Oversight
    posted by Randall



    Apparently Netflix doesn’t think Asian Americans played any significant role in the Disney animated classic, Mulan.

    An official description from the streaming site leaves out any mention of any Asian American involved in the production-including lead voices Ming Na Wen, who played the voice of Mulan, and B.D. Wong, who voiced Li Shang, Mulan’s love interest and son of General Li.

    Mulan fan Dave Sanchez blasted Neflix for the omission and Wen didn’t hesitate to jump on board.

    Yeah, that’s EFF-ed up, @netflix!

    I also believe another AsianAm lead voice should also be on the credit. #bdwong How about all the #Mulan fans out there tweet @netflix about this major oversight? Thanks! 💋👍 https://t.co/xRzcGL9qqq— Ming-Na Wen (@MingNa) January 1, 2019
    According to Comicbook.com, Netflix has not yet responded to her New Year’s Eve tweet, but plenty of fans already have.

    Wtf?????? But but but the main charact…the hero of the stor…the…what??? I don’t. That doesn’t compute in the fabric of the universe.— Daniel Drew (@JediTimeSaiyan) January 1, 2019

    DUDE, Netflix. She IS Mulan. Since when is the lead characters’ voice actor not listed? (I mean i don’t know anything about cast listings and why they are like they are but COME ON).— Sunshine and Lemons 🍋🌞 (@MaybeMander) January 1, 2019

    pic.twitter.com/RsDZzBOTyo— Sam (@WSamNipat) January 1, 2019
    Note that this has been fixed already:

    Ming-Na Wen

    Verified account

    @MingNa
    Follow Follow @MingNa
    More Ming-Na Wen Retweeted Netflix US
    Great of you, @netflix, for the quick response and fix. 👏👍
    Appreciate your attention.
    -😘Mulan

    Thank you to all the fans of #Mulan and my Mingalings for your tweets & RTs. You all rock!
    ❤️💕❤️💕💋💋

    Happy New Year!🎉🎉Ming-Na Wen added,
    Netflix US
    Verified account

    @netflix
    Replying to @MingNa
    Thank you and @kroqkom so much for pointing this out to us!! It’s now been fixed ❤️ you and @BD_WONG are legends!
    THREADS:
    Mulan - Live-Action Disney project
    Mulan
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  7. #37
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    Donnie Yen on How Kong Kong Action Cinema Can Reclaim Its Glory

    9:40 PM PDT 5/14/2019 by Karen Chu


    COURTESY OF MANDARIN MOTION PICTURES

    "Being able to play the same character in four films is a rare opportunity," says Donnie Yen of his role in 'Ip Man 4.'

    As his career-defining 'Ip Man' franchise comes to a close, the Hong Kong superstar — who will be featured in Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of 'Mulan' — also discusses improving onscreen Asian representation: "I hope we can make more breakthroughs."
    Since taking up the mantle of Wing Chun grandmaster in Ip Man 4, Donnie Yen has become increasingly synonymous with the real-life martial arts legend, who famously trained Bruce Lee.

    In the intervening years, Yen became a part of the Star Wars franchise, playing the fan-favorite blind warrior Chirrut Îmwe in spinoff Rogue One, and will be featured in Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of Mulan. But it has been the Ip Man franchise that brought him into hand-to-hand combat with Mike Tyson and secured him a place among hard-core kung fu aficionados as one of the great action superstars to come out of Hong Kong.

    Yen will reprise the role for the last time in Ip Man 4 — on offer to international buyers at the Marché du Film from Pegasus — which follows the title character as he accompanies his protege Bruce Lee when he relocates to San Francisco in the late 1950s.

    Along with Mulan, which co-stars fellow Hong Kong legend Jet Li and Chinese actress Gong Li, Yen will soon appear as a plus-size but highly deadly cop in the Hong Kong action-comedy Enter the Fat Dragon, to be released this year. Yen, 55, spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about craving better representation for Asian actors when he was a teenager, how Hong Kong action cinema can reclaim its former glory and why he has resisted training his own children in martial arts.

    You have played the character of Ip Man for more than 10 years now. Would you say that this role has defined your career?

    Yes, it has. Being able to play the same character in four films is a rare opportunity, and I have to thank the fans of the films for their appreciation. The role has brought me more work and more fans, given me fame and fortune and made me realize that an actor’s life is an unceasing pursuit of bringing to life a character and becoming inseparable from that character in people’s minds.

    Fans petitioned online for Disney not to whitewash this remake of Mulan. How did you feel watching that movement unfold? What’s your view on Hollywood’s attempt to embrace diversity in recent years?

    I think they should have done this years ago. Since the beginning of time, the world has been diverse. Different ethnicities and cultures have always lived on this Earth. [The pattern of whitewashing ] comes from the fact that Hollywood product has dominated the film industry for decades. And we’ve grown up watching Hollywood films and had been under their influence. For a lot of people, you and me included, when they think of princes and princesses, they’d think of someone with blond hair and white skin. This image has been ingrained in us. But if we think about it, we’d realize that, around the world, Chinese people are quite numerous, too. (Laughs.) So shouldn’t it be time to express these characters and stories with different aesthetics? Something that more people worldwide can share and identify with?

    Did you yearn for more onscreen representation for people of Asian descent when you lived in the U.S. during your teenage years?

    Certainly. That’s one of the reasons why, growing up during that time, we were all so fascinated by Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee gave us a sense of pride and belonging. We grew up watching Hollywood films and accepting their standards. It was easy to lose track of who we were. When we looked in the mirror, we might wonder why we didn’t look like those onscreen. Of course we also wondered when we’d see something different. But the world is changing, there has been an African American president in the U.S. — that’s something that used to be unimaginable. There are also more and more Chinese actors achieving success on the global stage. As a filmmaker of Chinese descent, I’m very happy and encouraged, and hope we can make even more breakthroughs.


    JASON LAVERIS/FILMMAGIC

    "I feel it’s lacking a bit of spark," says Yen of the current state of action filmmaking in Hong Kong.
    Will you be accepting more Hollywood roles for that reason?

    Well, it depends, first of all, on whether the subject matter and the character interest me. Then it depends on my schedule, since I want to make more Hong Kong films from now on. I’ve always been a Hong Kong filmmaker; I’ve never left. Hong Kong is my home; my children live here. Now that I have a little bit of influence and pull, I’d like to use that to make more films in Hong Kong.

    The film you’re shooting now, Raging Fire, is the first time you’ve worked with Nicholas Tse since you both starred in Dragon Tiger Gate (2006). Can you say anything about the project yet?

    I’m very happy to reunite with Nicholas, and also Benny Chan, who was the producer and director of two television series I made in the 1990s. We haven’t worked together for over 20 years. As for the plot, I can’t really comment on it now. But the film is action-packed.

    Kung fu and action cinema were at the heart of Hong Kong cinema’s heyday. What is your take on the state of action filmmaking in Hong Kong?

    I feel it’s lacking a bit of spark. Hong Kong filmmakers are always talking about bringing glory back to the Hong Kong film industry. But what is that exactly? The world is changing rapidly. It’s no longer the same world it was when we were making action films. Hollywood hadn’t developed the visual vocabulary to shoot action, kung fu and combat scenes in our style at that time. But they are very fluent in this language now. So if we stay where we were, the industry will eventually die out.

    You have two kids. Is passing your martial arts skills on to them important to you?

    My daughter sings and dances, but she’s not that interested in kung fu. My son is still quite young, so I’d rather he learns martial arts from a teacher. Learning martial arts is serious, rigorous business. I don’t want to have any conflicts, or that kind of sternness, with my kids. I don’t spend enough time with them as it is, so I’d like to have quality time — filled only with smiles — when I do spend time with them.

    This story first appeared in The Hollywood Reporter's May 15 daily issue at the Cannes Film Festival.
    THREADS
    Ip Man 4
    Cannes
    Mulan
    Raging Fire
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  8. #38
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    Disney's Most Expensive Movie Ever

    Disney's going to go for it with this - that major crossover that captures both sides of the Pacific.

    Mulan Remake Star Says It's Disney's Most Expensive Movie Ever
    BY ROBIN BURKS – ON MAY 20, 2019 IN MOVIE NEWS



    One of the stars of Disney's Mulan live-action remake said the film is the most expensive movie Disney has ever made. The film takes inspiration from 1998's animated Mulan, which followed the adventures of Hua Mulan, a legendary Chinese warrior from the Northern and Southern dynasties period of China, who was also a woman. In that story, Mulan disguises herself as a man to take her father's place in the army.

    Although Disney initially had planned as far back as 2010 to remake Mulan as a live-action movie, it wasn't until 2015 that the project got off the ground and began development. There was some controversy surrounding what was reportedly the original script, which featured a white male lead, as well as brought in the white savior trope. However, Disney decided to rewrite it, promising that not only would Mulan be the star of the film, but that Chinese actors would play all primary characters in the movie. Eventually, the company hired female director, Niki Caro, and cast star Liu Yifei in the title role. Other actors tied to the project are Donnie Yen, Jason Scott Lee, Tzi Ma, Yosan An and Jet Li.

    Disney has proven that it is invested in the film. According to Gavin Feng, who tracks Chinese box office and film news, actress Gong Li, who will portray a villain in the live-action Mulan, revealed the remake is Disney's most expensive movie ever with a budget of over $300 million. It takes a lot of money to put together a film of this scope, especially considering the sweeping narrative of Mulan.

    View image on Twitter
    View image on Twitter

    Gavin Feng
    @gavinfeng97
    Chinese actress Li Gong claimed that Disney's live-action film Mulan has the biggest budget ever for the studio with $300 million-plus. #Mulan

    (via https://weibo.com/6403553546/HuEOX73...d1558251994302 …)

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    Disney released the first look at Mulan in 2018, featuring a photo of Mulan with a sword, ready to fight. Disney has released enough details that it seems the company has taken cues from the original Chinese legend about Mulan and using that as its basis for the live-action film. Mulan has already separated itself from its animated counterpart in that it will not be a musical, but it will incorporate some of the music from the animated film into various scenes.

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    Although many often overlook the animated version of Mulan, it did reasonably well at the box office and received a mostly positive critical reception. Although many fans criticize Disney for the sheer number of live-action remakes it has already done and has in the works, fans are anxious to see the live-action Mulan when it hits theaters in 2020. Hopefully with such a large budget, Mulan will able to do both the Disney animated version and the original legend justice.
    Gene Ching
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  9. #39
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    New Disney Legends

    Downey is obvious for Endgame et.al. Wen is clearly more of the Mulan play.

    Marvel's Robert Downey Jr., Ming-Na Wen and Jon Favreau become Disney Legends
    Disney says the three have been given the "highest honor" it can bestow.
    BY CORINNE REICHERT
    MAY 16, 2019 11:59 AM PDT


    Robert Downey Jr. has been named a Disney Legend for his role as Iron Man.
    Photo by The Chosunilbo JNS/Imazins via Getty Images

    Disney said Thursday that Marvel Cinematic Universe members Robert Downey Jr., Jon Favreau and Ming-Na Wen will be made Disney Legends.

    Disney names a series of legends each year in recognition of their contributions to the company.

    Downey is being recognized for his role as Tony Stark -- which he almost didn't get -- throughout the Marvel movies, from 2008's Iron Man to Avengers: Endgame, and in supporting roles in Captain America: Civil War and Spider-Man: Homecoming.

    Ming-Na Wen was the voice of Mulan in the 1996 animated film and in subsequent video games, TV shows and movies, including the famous Disney princess scene in Wreck It Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks the Internet. She now plays Agent Melinda May, or the Cavalry, on Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

    Favreau served as executive producer on the three Iron Man movies, The Avengers, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Avengers: Infinity War, as well as played Happy Hogan in the Marvel movies.

    "The Disney Legends Award is the highest honor we can bestow," Disney CEO Bob Iger said at the D23 Expo. "It's a recognition of talent, a celebration of achievement, and an expression of profound gratitude to the remarkable men and women who have made an indelible mark on our company and our creative legacy."

    Also joining the 2019 crop of Disney Legends are Darth Vader actor James Earl Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean composer Hans Zimmer; Executive Vice President of Imagineering Wing Chao, Fantasmic! creator Barnette Ricci, Descendants director and High School Musical producer Kenny Ortega, Hocus Pocus' Bette Midler, ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer, and ESPN and ABC host Robin Roberts.

    Already on the list are 289 other Disney stalwarts, including Pixar co-founder Steve Jobs; Marvel Universe co-creator Stan Lee; Star Wars and Indiana Jones creator George Lucas; Pirates of the Caribbean's Johnny Depp; Imagineer and artist Mary Blair; prolific Disney princess movie composer Alan Menken; Star Wars' Carrie Fisher; the original Marry Poppins, Julie Andrews; Jodi Benson, the voice of Ariel; Paige O'Hara, the voice of Belle; Anika Noni Rose, the voice of Tiana; Tim Allen, the voice of Buzz Lightyear; Lea Salonga, who provided the singing voice of Jasmine and Mulan; Billy Crystal and John Goodman of Monsters Inc.; and the original Parent Trap star Hayley Mills.
    Gene Ching
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  10. #40
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    a phoenix?

    EXCLUSIVE: Phoenix Possibly Replacing Mushu in ‘Mulan’; Cast Will Not Sing Classic Songs
    DISNEY LIVE-ACTION
    By Jessenika Colon Last updated Jun 30, 2019



    The DisInsider has exclusively learned new details about Mulan‘s live-action adaptation – which is currently in post-production. We reported several months back that the film will feature some of the music from the animated classic and that Mushu would be appearing, but Disney has decided to go in a new direction regarding those decisions.

    A source close to us that has seen the film reports that a phoenix replaced Mulan’s beloved sidekick Mushu, and that while music from the animated film will be included in the remake, the songs will not be sung by the cast as the music is just instrumentals. As time progresses, Disney will very likely use test screenings to gauge what changes – if any – need to be made via reshoots and post-production.

    The DisInsider
    @TheDisInsider
    Here is something that may officially confirm our story! Look at the sweaters the cast is wearing! https://twitter.com/thedisinsider/st...09087077240833

    View image on Twitter


    The DisInsider
    @TheDisInsider
    EXCLUSIVE: Phoenix Possibly Replacing Mushu In ‘Mulan’ - Cast Will Not Sing Classic Songs http://thedisinsider.com/2019/06/29/...classic-songs/

    147
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    Mulan is the epic adventure of a fearless young woman who masquerades as a man in order 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.

    Directed by Niki Caro, Mulan will star Jason Scott Lee, Yoson An, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Ron Yuan, Tzi Ma, Rosalind Chao, Cheng Pei-Pei, Nelson Lee, Chum Ehelepola, Donnie Yen, Jet Li, and Gong Li.

    The film hits theaters March 27th, 2020.
    Did this report just snub Crystal in the cast list?
    Gene Ching
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  11. #41
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    Disney's Mulan - Official Teaser

    Gene Ching
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  12. #42
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    Our freshest exclusive interview

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  13. #43
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    2nd take?

    Never mind all the previous China takes. It's an old legend, after all.

    Mulan: Disney aims to win over China with second take on the legend
    By Yvette Tan & Heather Chen
    BBC News
    11 July 2019


    DISNEY
    China now has its first real-life Disney princess

    There won't be songs or talking dragons, and the film's antagonist will be a Chinese sorceress, not an evil leader of the Hun army - but Mulan is making her return to the big screen.

    This week Disney released a teaser trailer for the live-action remake of its 1998 classic, a story based on a legendary female warrior who disguises herself as a man to fight in place of her ailing father in China's imperial army.

    It joins a string of Disney hits from the 90s being revived for the 21st Century, including Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.

    The animated Mulan flopped in its birthplace when it was released more than two decades ago, but this time Disney is pulling out all stops to win China over with its version of their heroine.

    Let's get down to business

    When the Disney original first aired, China was not a major market for Disney. Twenty years on, China is the second-biggest movie market in the world.

    Around 70% of Hollywood studios' revenue are now generated overseas, compared with around 30% two decades ago. And Chinese audiences today are able to add millions to box office takings.

    "Chinese takings can make or break a movie," said writer and cultural analyst Xueting Christine Ni.


    DISNEY
    The new Hua Mulan is looking to slay China's box office

    And Disney knows this - which is why its spending $300m (£240m) on the film, according to one of its stars, Gong Li.

    "Disney is aggressively targeting China," Stanley Rosen, a professor in political science from the University of Southern California, told the BBC.

    Recent Disney offerings, like Toy Story 4, failed to see Chinese box office success. In contrast, Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks Studios, which split from Disney in 2016, had a huge hit among Chinese audiences with its Kung Fu Panda instalment.

    For that film, says Prof Rosen, "they spent a lot of time in China, investing efforts in researching pandas and talking to experts".

    "Chinese audiences are clearly more sophisticated now so if Disney wants to win them back, they have to nail the cultural aspects of Mulan."

    That means the new movie can't be a play-by-play of the old one.

    "[The Disney original] was trying so hard to be Chinese, but in a stereotypical way - there's lanterns, fireworks.. they even stuck a panda in there. The humour, the pacing the relationships, are either wholly American, or what America imagines China would be like," Ms Ni told the BBC.

    In one scene for example, the emperor is seen bowing to Mulan. It would be unthinkable for the emperor, who was seen as a god-like figure in China at the time, to bow to anyone.

    Making it right

    Casting was always going to be critical for this film.

    Disney banished early fears of "whitewashing" - there were wholly unfounded rumours she was to be played by Jennifer Lawrence - by casting Chinese American actress Liu Yifei in the lead role.

    It then upped the show's star power by featuring martial arts legend Jet Li as the Chinese emperor and A-list superstar Gong Li as a villainous sorceress - huge names in China who have also made it big in Western cinema.


    GETTY IMAGES

    Will Chinese star power aid Disney's quest in winning over mainland audiences?

    But casting is "simply one element of better representation and inclusivity in Disney films", said cultural expert Rebecca-Anne Rozario, a professor at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.

    So there are other factors that Disney will have to include in order to make the film a success.

    Mulan is a national heroine in ancient Chinese legend. Legends of her date back to the Northern Wei dynasty, as early as around 380AD. Think less Disney princess, more Chinese Joan-of-Arc.

    So the new film script went back to the original 6th Century source material, the Ballad of Mulan, for inspiration. It was also filmed partly in China, and the female-centred story also has a female director in Niki Caro.

    "[From the] tone of the [new] trailer, [it looks] much closer to the original legend than the 1998 animation and therefore closer to Hua Mulan as the Chinese know her - the brave young woman who upholds her duty to state and family," said Ms Ni.


    GETTY IMAGES
    A Chinese depiction of Mulan from the late 19th Century

    "I think this time round, the live action will have a much better chance of winning over Chinese audiences."

    Who is that girl I see?

    The highly anticipated remake has inevitably met some criticism.

    "Where is the singing?" complained one disgruntled fan on Facebook. "This isn't the Mulan I remember if we don't hear the songs we grew up with."

    Others mourned the absence of wise-cracking dragon Mushu.

    "We know Disney is changing a lot of things and dropping many of the original characters but Mushu was hilarious," one said.

    The heroine's lucky cricket and sassy grandmother don't feature either. In their place is Mulan's new and younger sister.

    And some eagle-eyed people spotted historical inaccuracies in the trailer. Mulan is seen living in a tulou hut, a traditional style of roundhouse. But those are from Fujian, more than 1,000km from Henan, the northern province where Mulan was said to have originally hailed from and were built centuries after her era.


    DISNEY
    Mulan's sidekicks sadly won't make it to the 2020 release

    But there's been plenty of positive reaction too. People on Chinese social media have praised Liu Yifei's debut as Mulan. An online poll on Chinese micro-blogging site Weibo also found that over 115,000 users were "satisfied" with what they knew of the film so far.

    "I would take inaccurate huts over smart mouthed dragons any day," said one person on Weibo.

    "China finally has its own Disney princess, which no-one can lay claim on," wrote another.

    Another person, who said she did not relate to the original animated film growing up, shared her newfound excitement.

    "Hua Mulan was the heroine who graced our storybooks in school. I'm happy that the trailer is setting her story up as more of a Chinese martial arts epic rather than an American cartoon."

    But high praise came from the voice of the "original" Mulan, Ming-Na Wen, who took to Twitter to praise Liu's performance.

    Skip Twitter post by @MingNa

    Ming-Na Wen

    @MingNa
    EPIC!!! Excited to see this #Mulan. Love seeing my friends @rosalindchao & @tzima8 as her parents. #YifeiLiu looks amazing as the warrior! 👍👏😘 https://twitter.com/disneysmulan/sta...98346268348417

    Mulan

    @DisneysMulan
    It is my duty to fight. Disney’s #Mulan is in theaters March 27, 2020.

    Embedded video
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    End of Twitter post by @MingNa
    The full film is scheduled for release in March next year. Disney would not give us any further details on it for now, but said more information would come out as the release date approached.

    There are suggestions some of the classic songs from the animated movie will crop up in some form, but that may end up being a secondary issue for Chinese Mulan fans.

    As one Weibo user put it: "China's Mulan is back."
    Gene Ching
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  14. #44
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    So much controversy around a feckin trailer...

    JULY 11, 2019 12:19AM PT
    China Loves New ‘Mulan’ Trailer, Except Its Historical Inaccuracies
    By REBECCA DAVIS


    CREDIT: COURTESY OF YOUTUBE

    The internet in China has exploded with excitement over Disney’s viral new “Mulan” trailer, but some have bemoaned the glaring historical and geographical inaccuracies in the short clip, calling the mashup of unrelated Chinese-looking elements disrespectful.

    Most on social media were thrilled to catch their first glimpse of mainland-born Crystal Liu Yifei in the titular role. “This is the Hua Mulan of my dreams!” read one of the top comments on Disney’s official page on the Twitter-like Weibo platform, where the hashtag “Hua Mulan” has already been viewed 1.5 billion times and the hashtag “Mulan Trailer” 1.2 billion times just two days after its release. “I watched this repeatedly for an hour,” one user wrote. “When the film comes out, I’m going to make the box office explode!”

    The trailer even spawned a new meme of Mulan’s exaggerated betrothal makeup, with people posting photos of themselves done up in her fever-red cheeks and yellow forehead paint.

    But the general excitement has been tempered by some serious criticism. The original Mulan tale comes from a ballad about a girl born in northern China during the Northern and Southern dynasties period, around the 5th century A.D. The time period and location are key to the story, as her journey kicks off because of the forced conscription to fight invaders threatening the northern border.

    Yet the Disney trailer shows Mulan living in a round “tulou” house, a traditional communal living structure of the Hakka people unique to coastal, southern Fujian province that became widespread in the much later Ming dynasty — more than a thousand years later.

    “Disney shouldn’t be so careless and just think that because tulou are beautiful, they can make Mulan live in one. She’s not Fujianese!” wrote one detractor who wondered how Mulan would manage to make it north to fight the Huns, adding: “I guess this Mulan has to take the subway out to join the army?”

    Another PhD student expressed a similar sentiment in a video that has itself gone viral, racking up some 8 million views in two days. “This film is just trying to ingratiate itself to Western audiences. It’s like they thought, oh, this element is really Chinese, it’s very Oriental, so I’m going to shove it into the film to make everyone feel this is a very ‘Chinese’ film,” he said.

    “This mess of mixing unrelated Oriental elements is really disrespectful of non-Western cultures and audiences,” he added. “This is not about [the producers] truly appreciating elements of a culture that is different from Hollywood’s, but using them to create something that [Americans] find comfortable and appealing.”

    Such comments don’t appear to have dampened China’s overall anticipation of what many online are calling “China’s Disney princess.” The new poster, shot by the very popular Chinese fashion photographer and visual artist Chen Man, was also embraced with enormous enthusiasm, with numerous commenters saying that seeing it actually made them cry. “I don’t know why I cried, but seeing it makes me so emotionally touched and inspired!” one wrote in a common refrain.

    There was quite a bit of bafflement and head-smacking in China when Liu was first cast as the title character, with many taking to social media to lambaste her acting chops — even going so far as to call her “box office poison.” But most agree that, talent or English-speaking abilities aside, her look “is definitely the one most suitable to the Chinese conception of classical Chinese beauty,” as one user put it.

    Disappointment that there appears to be no sign of the beloved Mushu character also abounded. “He would have been very cute in live-action, and it’s not like Disney doesn’t have the ability to create him — why didn’t they do it?” one user wrote in a common complaint. The hashtag “There’s no Mushu dragon in Mulan” has been viewed more than 310 million times.

    The reactions to “Mulan” have been much more positive than those to Disney’s decision to cast black actress Halle Bailey as Ariel in its upcoming live-action “The Little Mermaid.” Major Chinese newspaper The Global Times referred to her as “colored,” while others on social media expressed outrage and other racist sentiments — which bodes poorly for the movie’s prospects in the world’s second-largest film market.

    Disney’s “The Lion King” premieres in China on Friday. The studio’s live-action versions of classic films have seen middling box office results in China so far this year, with “Aladdin” earning $53.5 million in May and “Dumbo” a mere $21.9 million in March.
    I'm copying this from the Mulan - Live-Action Disney project thread to our general Mulan thread because I'm adding this list of past Mulan films in response to the lack of Mushu issue.

    Hua Mulan Joins the Army (1927)
    Mulan Joins the Army (1928)
    Mulan Joins the Army (1939)
    Lady General Hua Mu-lan (1964)
    Saga of Mulan (1994)
    Mulan (2009)
    Gene Ching
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  15. #45
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    Mulan jian

    I went to San Diego Comic-con last month and saw this at the WETA booth.






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