The Mulan Official Trailer showcases the long-awaited live-action remake of the 1998 Disney classic. The movie was a surprise hit for the franchise in its cartoon incarnation. It’s no surprise that Disney would choose it as its next addition to a canon of live-action movies that has grown to include reimaged versions of The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and The Jungle Book.
Liu Yifei, a Chinese actress, plays the title character, whose destiny is to be become a warrior and defend her people despite the rigidly stratified patriarchy of the society she is growing up in. The daughter of the famed warrior, Fa Zhou, she impersonates her father, so he doesn’t have to go to battle. Other notable stars include Jet Li as the Emperor of China, Utkarsh Ambudkar as a mysterious con-artist, and Donnie Yen as Mulan’s army commander and mentor.
Niki Caro, a New Zealand-based filmmaker who is perhaps best known for her breakout film Whale Rider, focuses on bringing a contemporary flair to the beloved Disney tale amid breath-taking cinematography and lots of epic battles along the way.