Disney's long line of live-action remakes, with the original animated feature coming in 1998. Mulan tells the tale of Fa Mulan, who disguises herself as a man in order to take the place of her sickly father in war against the invading Huns. Although her military skills are initially lacking, Mulan develops into a brave and cunning fighter, even after her deception is revealed to her fellow soldiers.
In the original, Mulan's grandmother prays to their ancestors to help Mulan, and they send her Mushu, the family's dragon, voiced by Eddie Murphy. Mushu, tiny and goofy, provides comic relief throughout the film, but also contributes significantly to the film's plot. He provides the fake order for Mulan and the other recruits to follow the army into the mountains. Mushu also fires a rocket that defeats Shan Yu, the film's main antagonist. The dragon's constant stream of gags in one of the more serious Disney features made him a fan favorite that many hoped would make the transition into the live-action adaptation of Mulan.
According to the Mulan trailer could be a new version of Mushu, but Caro clarified that this was not the case, explaining the symbolism of the phoenix: "So, on the left and right hand of the emperor there is a dragon. The dragon is representative of the masculine, and the phoenix is representative of the feminine. In a movie, in a story that so much explores gender fluidity, I thought that that was a really nice and appropriate way to go."
The axing of Mushu is not the only difference between the matchmaker sequence from the beginning of the 1998 original. "The matchmaker sequence from the animation, we were very, very faithful to that idea," explained Caro. A more positive difference is the inclusion of an all-Asian cast.
Mulan has gained a cult following since its release, and while the new remake is highly anticipated, it is not without its risks. The film is said to be the most expensive Disney movie ever made, and rising political tensions with Hong Kong have led to calls to boycott the new Mulan. Nevertheless, Caro and Disney seem committed to raising the action and drama, and a talking dragon would clash with the vision. However, even without Mushu, fans are looking forward to the release of Disney's new Mulan.
Source: Digital Spy
