What Disney decides to do here will be particularly interesting since Aladdin will be getting its own adaptation soon, and Pocahontas could also follow in the live-action trend, the decisions taken here will likely set a precedent for what will be done with those films. In fact, this would be the first film to employ solely actors of color. Immersing us in historically-accurate Chinaīesides perhaps The Jungle Book, we’ve yet to see a live-action adaptation that takes place in a non-European culture. Disney could certainly benefit from giving Mulan a more epic finale, and perhaps one that does her legendary character justice. In Maleficient, it isn’t the prince’s kiss that lifts the spell. It’s not like Disney hasn’t subverted its own canon, after all. It’s rare in a ‘princess’ movie to see romance begin with sincere friendship, and it’ll be interesting to see how they deal with the confusion regarding Mulan’s gender in both a funny and profound way. It would be amazing if we could see more of the friendship between Shang and Mulan (as Ping) and how it becomes something more. However, the animated film was sadly limited to only a few glimpses of the developing relationship. Presumably, they’ll want to replicate this relationship in the new live-action version. Among the Disney ‘princesses,’ Mulan and Shang probably have the greatest chemistry and story of all, and scenes from the animated film continue to be shipping fuel. Shang and Mulan have what is possibly one of the best relationships Disney has ever come up with. Their love is based on that combination of trust built over time, and shared responsibility. In Hua Mulan, Mulan and Wentai’s relationship is beautiful, but it builds over a long period of time, and strengthens through their mutual respect as they both struggle to lead an army. While Disney may not want to make a movie that ventures too far from a family friendly atmosphere by portraying a Mulan who goes to war too realistically (as in, showing her killing enemies), it would be great to see her rise in the ranks and revolutionize such a male-dominated space the way she is said to have done.Įstablishing more depth in the main relationship Mulan itself explored the concept of honor and femininity as well, but we only got a very small glimpse at the power that the legendary Mulan is said to have actually wielded. Her struggles as a woman in a position of power, and the various dilemmas that come with commanding such a large number of people, are what bring intensity and meaning to the story. Seeing Mulan lead thousands of men in Hua Mulan is a rare and empowering experience. In the film, she even becomes a General, and retires with the nation’s respect, even after her identity as a woman is revealed. Hua Mulan follows a plot that is more loyal to the original legend of Mulan, which states that she was a warrior for the Chinese army for over a decade.