“Mulan” remake faces long-term controversies

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The 2020 live-action remake of “Mulan” will be available on Disney+ for a $30 fee.

Margaret Troup

Disney+ will welcome the 2020 live-action remake of the original 1998 animated movie “Mulan” for a fee.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek announced the remake will be available for $30.

“Mulan” (2020) was originally set to release in March of this year but was delayed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 23, Disney removed “Mulan” from their release schedule entirely, causing confusion among fans as to whether the movie would be released at all.

It is only now fans know they can view the film starting Sept. 4, but only if they are willing to pay a $30 up-charge.

Additionally, on Sept. 4, “Mulan” will be released to theaters in countries where Disney+ is not available and where theaters are safely open.

This live-action remake has faced criticism from fans throughout its entire development process. Alongside the release of the first teaser-trailer in 2019 came the news that the 2020 remake would not include any of the songs from the original musical nor the characters Mushu or Li Shang.

Director Niki Caro commented on his decision to remove Mulan’s love interest to NZ Herald.

“I think, particularly in the time of the #MeToo movement, having a commanding officer that is also the sexual love interest was very uncomfortable,” Caro said. “And we didn’t think it was appropriate.”

Additional controversy surrounding this film surfaced when lead actress Lie Yifei voiced her support for the police in Hong Kong during the early 2020 riots. Many in China believe police use excessive force when interacting with peaceful protesters. Yifei’s announcement of her take on the issue caused the hashtag #BoycottMulan to start trending on Twitter.

The announcement that watching the live-action “Mulan” at all will require both a Disney+ subscription and an additional $30.00 could be this movie’s final nail in the coffin. Whether this film flops at the box office or not will only be revealed through time and money.