5 facts about Mulan – the live-action, all-Asian movie starring Jet Li, Liu Yifei, Gong Li, Donnie Yen, Jason Scott Lee, Tzi Ma and Rosalind Chao
The new Mulan live-action remake, set for release in 2020, features an all-star Asian cast including Jet Li and Liu Yifei and faithfully follows Disney original
Ladies are leading in 2020! With the anticipation of female-led films Black Widow, Wonder Woman and Birds of Prey coming out next year, the live-action Mulan trailer, released on December 5, has added even more excitement to the mix. The new Mulan live-action remake, set to release in 2020, features an all-star Asian cast and faithfully follows the original 1998 Disney animated film – albeit with a few notable exceptions.
New witch character played by Gong Li
It seems the only character who knows Mulan has disguised herself in the commander’s army is a new character for the Disney Mulan storyline: Xian Liang, a witch in Bori Khan’s army, played by Gong Li. The character appears to shape-shift into an eagle in the new trailer, instilling a little of that quintessential Disney magic into the live-action remake.
The Chinese actress is perhaps best known internationally for her role as Japanese geisha Hatsumomo in Memoirs of a Geisha, but she has a close relationship with director Zhang Yimou, acting in films by the 69-year-old director, such as Red Sorghum, Curse of the Golden Flower and Coming Home.
All-star casting that makes us giddy
Li Yiufei and Gong Li are joined by an all-star Asian cast, including Donnie Yen (Commander Tung), Jet Li (The Emperor), Jason Scott Lee (Bori Khan), Tzi Ma (Hua Zhou, Mulan’s father), and Rosalind Chao (Hua Li, Mulan’s mother).
Chinese-Hawaiian actor Jason Scott Lee, who played Bruce Lee in the 1993 film Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, looks almost unrecognisable as the warrior leader villain Bori Khan in the live-action Mulan. We are looking forward to seeing his martial arts skills on the big screen once again.