When Disney announced it would be adapting Mulan into a live action movie (with a 2018 release date),the little girl in me let out a loud squeal as she was always my favourite Disney “Princess”. She was brave, a beautiful PoC and most notably not a damsel in distress. The movie itself has been cited as one of the first of few feminist Disney movies, seeing as the company has a penchant for selling false hopes of a Knight in Shining armour saving the day to little children.
However, the rumour mill is always here to stir up controversy and backlash would naturally ensue. An anonymous open letter posted to the website “Angry Asian Man” depicts the script of the live action adaptation as utterly atrocious, for it features Mulan falling in love with a White man who ultimately saves the day. I for one definitely do not remember that being part of the Legend of Mulan.
Fans took to social media to air out their frustrated opinions and the hashtag as well as a petiton #MakeMulanRight ran rampant all over social media.
https://twitter.com/lin_krystal/status/785615883527786496
Usually big corporations and movie companies tend to let whitewashing slide and ignore the millions of angry fans, but this time the rumours are in fact just rumours. The company assured the livid fans that that the aforementioned script was just an idea of sorts, so they did purchase it however it is not the final draft and changes will definitely be made, with Mulan being the centre of her own story and her romantic lead being strictly Chinese.
Truth be told, I am still more than excited to view this movie on the big screen, I just hope it is done with the necessary sensitivities and accurately portrays the Legend of Mulan in a way that pleases most fans and does not spark outrage again. I don’t think the Mulan fandom could handle anymore rumours at this point, for we have already survived the supposed Jennifer Lawrence casting debacle and now this. I wish the Disney team the best of luck, they seem to really need it.
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