Coronavirus and a political boycott trip up 'Mulan' at the box office

Chinese moviegoers are not flocking to the live-action 'Mulan.'

There are those who say the first sign that Disney's live-action remake of Mulan was in trouble was when they decided to eliminate the beloved animated dragon Mushu voiced by comedian Eddie Murphy.

Even before the twin releases to theaters and on Disney Plus, the online streamer, there were concerns that Mulan was not going to live up to the hype despite an all-star, all-Asian and Asian American cast bolstered by the Disney studio's full-throttled support.

The new retelling of Mulan, an old Chinese myth, slogged through a few miscues along the way to its long-delayed, but highly anticipated, release last month.

A Disney executive on recently briefly addressed the controversy plaguing his studio's big budget, live-action reboot of Mulan, which has generated backlash for being filmed partly in China’s Xinjiang region. That’s where Uighur Muslims have been imprisoned en masse in so-called “re-education centers.”

“I’m not a box office predicator [or] prognosticator, but [the backlash] has generated a lot of publicity; let’s leave it at that,” said Christine McCarthy, The Walt Disney Co.’s chief financial officer, at a Bank of America Virtual 2020 Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference.

As an indicator, the blockbuster did not top the Chinese box office, pulling in a disappointing $23 million in its first weekend in China. Mulan earned only $1.47 million on its second Friday to bring its eight-day total to $31.17 million. 

Months before the movie opened (Sept. 4 on Disney+ and in theaters in the Chinese market) there were calls for a boycott from Hong Kong protestors (prime movie-going age group) beause of Mulan star Liu Yifei's  statement of support for Hong Kong police, and by extension, the Beijing communist government. 

When Mulan was released on Disney+, Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong tweeted, "This film is released today. But because Disney kowtows to Beijing, and because Liu Yifei openly and proudly endorses police brutality in Hong Kong, I urge everyone who believes in human rights to #BoycottMulan." That hashtag went viral.

That movement and boycott has gained momentum as the movie's general release date kept being postponed because of the coronavirus.

Speaking of COVID-19, Disney decided to go ahead and release their film despite not all of China's theaters not being able to open because of the pandemic.

READ: My short, short review of Mulan.

The backlash against Mulan gained even more traction after it was released in theaters and online at Disney-Plus when eagle-eye moviegoers watched the credits at the end of the movie. Disney thanked the government and officials of Xinjiang, China, the region where Uighur Muslims are being detained in mass internment camps, according to The New York Times.

Xinjiang, in western China, is home to about 11 million Uyghur people, "a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority that speak a language closely related to Turkish and have their own distinct culture," according to CNN. About one million Uyghurs are estimated to be detained in camps in the area, where they reportedly endure torture, abuse, political indoctrination, and forced labor. The Chinese government denies claims of abuse and says the camps are "vocational training centers" and necessary for preventing terrorism. 

Activists have used social media to spread the message that supporting Mulan is tantamount to being complicit in these human rights violations. 

Disney's head of finance, Christine McCarthy, responded to the controversy, saying that the criticism is overblown and that only small portions of the film were shot in Xinjiang.

"The real facts are that Mulan was primarily shot -- almost in entirety -- in New Zealand, said Disney's head of finance, Christine McCarthy, reports Deadline. "In an effort to accurately depict some of the unique landscape and geography of the country of China for this period drama, we filmed scenery in 20 different locations in China. It's common knowledge that, in order to film in China, you have to be granted permission. That permission comes from the central government."

"So, in our credits, it recognized both China and locations in New Zealand. I would just leave it at that, but it has generated a lot of issues for us."

Additionally, China's complex relations with neighboring countries has generated calls for boycotts in India, Singapore and South Korea.

As the backlash over Disney’s collaboration with Xinjiang began to pick up steam, days before the film's Sept. 11 opening in China, Chinese state media initiated a media blackout of coverage of the film robbing the Disney folks of any momentum in publicizing their $200-million movie, according to Reuters.

Chinese stars were cast in 'Mulan.'

The highly anticipated film was  tailored for the Chinese market, the second largest int he world after the U.S., by dropping the fantasy and music of the original 1996 cartoon version in order to become more culturally appropriate, spending months to study the costumes and architecture of the era and casting big-name Chinese stars such as Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Gong Li and Liu Yifei.

In the U.S., its draw among Asian Americans was that it was the first big-budget movie produced by a Hollywood studio with an all-Asian cast with an Asian theme. The first was Crazy Rich Asians which dispelled studio-held beliefs that movies with Asian lead actors couldn't draw multi-racial audiences.

Two other studio-driven movies, Flower Drum Song and the Joy Luck Club, preceded  Crazy Rich Asians but both were isolated blips in Asian American movie history. Neither of the films didn't  break box-office expectations to gain any follow-up momentum for other Asian American related films, a groundbreaking feat accomplished by Crazy Rich Asians. That breakthrough opened the doors for several other Hollywood productions with Asian themes with AAPI lead characters. 

To be sure, Mulan is a beautiful film and the action scenes are spectacular and is worth the a pleasant 2-hour escape from today's troubles. However, I'm not sure if that is enough to overcome the fortune-cookie dialogue the actors are saddled with. It's as if the writers had just watched "Little Grasshopper" get lectured to in the TV show Kung Fu and think all Chinese normally speak English in this stilted way.

Mulan's so-so performance thus far raises fears among AAPI Hollywood artists that feed the old, racist belief among the movie-making industry's decision-makers that Asian-led films aren't profitable.

We'll have to wait and see how Mulan does globally when more American theaters open their doors to see if the Disney can recoup its $200-million investment.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A word of caution, this article is news laced with opinion. Readers are encouraged to seek multiple news sources to formulate their own positions. 

UPDATED Sept. 21, 9:45 s.m. for clarity.

Mulan opening now indefinite -- no new date announced

Liu Yifei will star in the new Mulan movie.

At this rate, we might not see the live-action Mulan movie until 2021. Because of the coronavirus, the general release of the long anticipated film has been postponed four times and no new date has been announced.

“Over the last few months, it’s become clear that nothing can be set in stone when it comes to how we release films during this global health crisis, and today that means pausing our release plans for Mulan as we assess how we can most effectively bring this film to audiences around the world,” said a Disney spokesperson.

Mulan was not alone to be victimized by the pandemic. Hollywood has postponed the opening a whole slew of films because of the coronavirus and theater closures. 

The original release of Mulan was supposed to be March 9, then it was switched to July and then once again, moved to August. The decision to hold off on the opening has to do with improving the chances for profit. The big-budget feature by Disney needs a big opening to recoup the $200 million budget of the English-speaking film with an all-Asian cast.

China just opened some of its theaters after being closed for six months because of the coronavirus. Los Angeles and New York City — the two most important movie markets in North America — still don’t have plans for any cinemas to reopen because of the bans on large gatherings due to the pandemic.

Mulan features Chinese star Liu Yifei as the legendary fearless Chinese warrior who disguises herself as a man to spare her elderly father from having to serve in the military. Unlike the original animated version of the Disney movie, the live-action film will hew closer to the myth and won't spotlight the much-loved songs of the original.

Mulan release date announced; new poster & trailer released

UPDATED Dec. 5, 9:30 a.m. to include new trailer.

The live-action remake of Mulan hits theaters on March 27th, 2020 ahead of Disney's newest installment of the George Lucas-inspired space saga, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Fans are still waiting to see if Mushu will have a part in the remake or not. His absence was another problem audiences had with early trailers but we hear that the dragon is part of the live-action film. 

The highly anticipated remake of Disney's 1998 original animated version hit some delays that involved extensive reshoots.

In preparation for the new trailer, Disney put out the new poster featuring Mulan, played by popular Chinese actress  Liu Yifei, in a fighting posture. Word is that the film will sacrifice the music featured in the original but will beef up the fighting scenes. 

The early trailer released four months ago drew some criticism from China over historical inaccuracies.

Liu Yifei also attracted criticism for her remarks against the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong drawing calls for a boycott of the film.

Directed by Niki Caro, the movie also stars Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Yoson An, Xana Tang, Jason Scott Lee and Ron Yuan.

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Disney drops first trailer for live-action 'Mulan'

The first trailer for the live action Mulan was released Sunday and it looks absolutely gorgeous. 

Any doubts that star Liu Yifiei (Forbidden Kingdom) can convincingly handle a sword should be put to rest.

What the trailer doesn't show is any of the characters singing. The production team led by director Niki Caro vacillated between making the movie a straight action drama or to include the popular music that made the 1998 animated version so enjoyable.

When Liu was cast, it was assumed that her singing would be featured in the movie but later comments by Caro seemed to indicate that the production abandoned the idea of using the music associated with the animated Mulan.

The film was originally expected to start production earlier this year with a projected release in December, so it is not known if production was delayed due to working the music in. It is now due for release in March 2020.

Now, according to our friends at The DisInsider, Walt Disney Studios is gearing up to add some of the familiar music from the 1998 hit animated film, as well as Mulan’s faithful sidekick and comic-relief “Mushu,” the fire-breathing dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy in the original. Disney's CGI department did an outstanding job in The Lion King, so Mushu should be a piece of cake.

Unlike some of the other Disney live-action films, however; Mulan may not be adhering as close to the animated source material.

Gong Li, a superstar in China, is playing a brand new villain, and she isn’t the only new character included. Donnie Yen (Rogue One) plays a role of a mentor, and they’re also changing the love-interest. The star-studded, all-Asian and Asian American cast also includes Jason Scott Lee, Yoson An, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Rosalind Chao, Cheng Pei-Pei and martial arts superstar Jet Li.

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.

The decision to reprise Mulan's musical roots, and even to add new songs, to the live-action version, may have been influenced by the acceptance and success of another live-action remake of an animated hit, Aladdin, which weaved the popular songs (including "A Whole New World") into the remake.

Any doubts Hollywood may have had about Asian actors and Asian-themed storylines able to attract audiences should be put to rest by the success of Crazy Rich Asians. Disney has been at the forefront of diversifying its casting options. The latest big blockbuster that Disney has benefited from the Aladdin, which went to great lengths to cast culturally appropriate actors for a story that takes place along the Silk Road, linking China, the Mideast and Euruope.

Last week Variety reports that Aladdin, starring Mena Massoud in the title role and Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine with Will Smith as the Genie and  has grossed over $900 million worldwide with no signs of slowing down for the rest of the summer.

Aladdin has been the surprise of the summer becoming one of the studio’s biggest live-action titles ever. It joins Beauty And The Beast, The Jungle Book, Alice In Wonderland and three of the Pirates Of The Caribbean films in reaching the milestone.

Aladdin, directed by Guy Ritchie, is currently the 3rd biggest film of the year domestically and worldwide, and the No. 1 film of 2019 so far outside of the Marvel superhero franchise.

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TGIF Feature: 'Mulan' production starts - the next movie with an all-Asian cast

Chinese actress Liu Yifei will portray Mulan.

ASAM NEWS

PRODUCTION is underway for Disney’s live action version of Mulan.

Coming on the heels of Warner Bros.' Crazy Rich Asians, which was released in North American theaters on Wednesday (Aug. 15), Mulan could be the next wide-distribution movie from a Hollywood production company featuring an all-Asian cast.

Mulan stars Chinese star Liu Yifei as the title character.

The movie isn’t due out until March 2020, but Disney is whetting our appetites by releasing the first photo of Liu as Mulan.

“It’s a big, girly martial arts epic. It will be extremely muscular and thrilling and entertaining and moving,” the film’s director, Niki Caro, (The Zookeeper’s Wife), told MovieFone about her vision for the Disney remake. According to IGN, shooting will take place in both New Zealand and China.

Joining Liu will be Jet Li (Expendables 3), Donnie Yen (Rogue One), Gong Li (Raise the Red Lantern) and Jason Scott Lee (Dragon: the Bruce Lee Story). Recent additions to the cast include Rosalind Chao (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine), Cheng Pei-Pei (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and Nelson Lee.

Based on a traditional Chinese legend, Mulan was a teenaged rebel who dressed as a man to serve in the emperor's army in place of her father. She becomes a war hero in the battle against the Hun.

Breaking away from the Disney mold of princesses who are usually rescued by male heroes, Mulan raises issues of female empowerment, women in the military and cross-dressing, particularly relevant in this era of #MeToo and #AboutTime.

Disney had previously said the live action version would not be a musical, unlike the original animated version which featured the singing voice of Broadway star Lea Salonga. However, as of late, Disney has said that could change. The selection of Liu Yifei to portray the legendary character, opens the door to that possibility. She  is also a popular recording artist in China. Director Niki Caro, has said the film would incorporate music in some way.

Views From the Edge contributed to this report.
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Mulan actor named; Disney's newest princess is Chinese.

AFTER CONDUCTING an international search and auditioning a thousand actors, Disney settled on who would play Mulan in their live-action telling of the Chinese tale.

Liu Yifei isn't a household name (in the U.S., anyway) but she's one of China's most popular actresses.

The upcoming film, directed by New Zealander Niki Caro, is based on Disney’s 1998 feature telling the story of a woman disguising herself as a man to fight against an invading army, saving her elderly father from getting drafte in the army.

Picking a Chinese actress to play the heroine Mulan allays the fear among Asian/Americans that the movie might get white-washed and have a white actress play the pivotal role.

But Disney has been adament to do the right thing in casting, much in the way the voice actors, all of whom were Pacific Islanders, were picked for the animated hit Moana,

In Liu, Disney has found someone who checks all the boxes:

• Chinese descent: Check. She was born in Wuhan, China.
• Speaks English: Check. As a child, she lived for a time in Queens, NYC.
• Martial arts: Check. Several of her Chinese movies featured swordplay and fantastic choreographed fight scenes showing she can be a badass.

• Singer: Check. Is there anything this actress can't do? On top of modeling and acting, she is also noted as a pop singer. Liu released her self-titled debut album in 2006 with Sony Music, and has more recently sung covers for soundtracks. Her ability to sing may mean that the live-action Mulan will feature some of the songs made famous in the animated version. The director at first said that the film would not be a musical but she now says she is open to making the project a musical. Listen to one of Liu's hits - in English!

• Acting experience: Check. While most of her films have been made in China for Chinese audiences, she acted in English in 2008's The Forbidden Kingdom, alongside Jackie Chan and Jet Li, and 2014's Outcast, opposite Nicolas Cage and Hayden Christensen. She also starred opposite Emile Hirsch in Danish auteur Bille August's period romance The Chinese Widow, which opened the Shanghai International Film Festival in June.
• Beautiful: Check, check, check and check. She is nicknamed "Fairy Sister" by the Chinese moviegoing public for her innocent looks. If a picture can say a thousand words ...

The rest of the cast hasn't been named yet. I can't wait to find out who will play Li Shang. The movie is scheduled for a 2019 release.
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