Disney’s Live-Action ‘Mulan’ Remake Adds Jet Li And Gong Li
The casting process for Disney’s live-actionMulanremake is picking up steam. After recent news thatDonnie Yenhas joined the film, word comes thatGong LiandJet Lihave joined the cast as well.
You wan’t moreMulancasting news? You got it.The Hollywood Reporterreveals that Disney’s latest live-action remake has added action superstar Jet Li andMiami Vice’s Gong Li to the ever-growing cast. Last night, word broke thatRogue One: A Star Wars StoryactorDonnie Yenhad boarded the film as well. Per THR, “Jet Li is in final talks to play the emperor of China, who orders the mobilization of troops via the conscription of one male from each household.” Gong Li, meanwhile, will play the film’s villain, “a powerful witch.” This is yet another departure from the original animated film, which featured the Hun leader Shan Yu, voiced by the late Miguel Ferrer, as the main antagonist.
Disney’sMulanremake really is shaping up nicely – this cast is pretty stellar already. In addition to Jet Li, Gong Li and Donnie, the film starsLiu Yifeias Mulan.Mulanis based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, a young woman who posed as a man to go to war in her father’s place. The 1998 film featured the voices of Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, Miguel Ferrer, and BD Wong. Here’s the trailer for the original animated film.
Whale RiderfilmmakerNiki Carois directing the film, which was originally set for a 2018 release date before being pushed to 2020. There’s been some confusion surrounding the production. It was initially announced thatMulanwould feature no songs, unlike the original animated film. Caro laterclarifiedthis by saying that while songs for the film hadn’t been officially approved yet, Disney isn’t against the idea and are open to adding songs to the film. This seems to suggest that ifMulandoes end up featuring songs, they’ll be new, rather than the songs from the original film – which is kind of a bummer, because a lot of the original film’s songs are pretty great.Mulanwill be yet another live-action remake from Disney, who have already ushered live-action remakes ofCinderella,Beauty and the BeastandThe Jungle Bookto the big screen, and are currently working on live-action remakes ofPeter Pan,Dumbo,The Lion King,Aladdin,Pinocchio,Lady and the Tramp, andThe Sword in the Stone, and more.
