Disney's Live-Action 'Mulan' Delayed
Disney's upcoming live-action adaptation of Mulan has been delayed by more than a year. The Hollywood Reporter, Disney has known for some time that it wouldn't make the originally planned 2018 release date because of the year-long search that it undertook to find the right actress for its lead role.
It was confirmed late last year that Chinese actress Liu Yifei, also known as Crystal Liu, had been cast in the title role of Hua Mulan, who posed as a man in order to take her father's place in the army in fifth-century China. The new release date for the live-action retelling of the 1998 animated movie is March 27, 2020.
Casting an ethnically Chinese actress was reportedly a high priority for the studio. The process saw a team of casting directors visit five continents; they saw nearly 1,000 candidates before casting Liu, who is one of the most popular actresses in China. She's also previously starred in English-speaking films The Forbidden Kingdom (2008) opposite Jackie Chan and Outcast (2004) with Nicolas Cage.
The live-action Mulan will be directed by Niki Caro (The Zookeeper's Wife). The original 1998 animated film, featuring BD Wong and Eddie Murphy, earned more than $300 million worldwide and landed Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.
Mulan is one of 16 live-action adaptations Disney has in the works, including Aladdin (May 2019), The Lion King (July 2019), The Little Mermaid, and a Cruella De Vil origin story starring Emma Stone (2018).
At least the delayed release gives us more time to practice our sing-alongs - if the film ends up being a musical.
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