You probably know by now, Disney is planning to release it’s live-action Mulan straight to its streaming service in the United States and other countries on 9/4/2020. But before you get too excited you over-eager Disney fan, there’s some things you need to know about the remake of Mulan before you give Disney another 30 dollars of your hard earned money. Here’s everything you need to know about the live action remake.

What's in this review

The live-action adaptation is closer to a reinterpretation than a shot for shot remake

Let’s start with the most disappointing aspect of the movie for Mushu fans and musical fans alike: there is no Mushu, songs, Li Shang, Shan Yu, or the little cricket guy. As it turns out, Mulan’s appearance and Mushu really annoyed China’s viewers when the original movie was released in 1998. The animated Mulan was very loosely based on a traditional and well-known Chinese legend, so they reportedly called it “Foreign Mulan.”

The new, live-action Mulan follows closer to the original story of Hua Mulan. It will feature more action, violence, and martial-arts. Some aspects will remain similar, such as Mulan joining the army and her father not being well enough to fight. But American audiences should be prepared for a different experience than the animated version they are used ot.

Where can I watch the movie?

The live-action Mulan starts streaming on Disney+ on September 4, 2020. You can subscribe to Disney+ here. Be warned, you will also have pay an additional 29.99 for the premium access so you can watch the live-action version.

When does the live action Mulan come out?

The live-action Mulan was originally set to release to theaters earlier in 2020. Due to the ongoing pandemic, Disney decided to exclusively release the movie on Disney+ on September 4, 2020. In countries where Disney+ is not available, it will release to theaters.

Will Mushu be in the new Mulan?

Though I already answered this question, I will humor your lazy ass and answer it again. No, Mushu will not be in the live-action movie. If this makes you sad, just remember, your Disney+ subscription will let you watch both the animated Mulan (review here) and Mulan II (review here). Both have Mushu and should provide you a comfortable, safe-space.

Is the live-action Mulan free on Disney+?

No, the movie will cost you 29.99 on top of the subscription fee for Disney+. The fee is a one time deal and provides access to the movie for as long as you subscribe to Disney+. For a larger family, this is probably a great deal. For all you single Disney fans out there, it is a pretty steep price. You can always wait a few months for it to become free.

What are the early reviews for the live-action Mulan?

As of this writing, the critic score on Rotten Tomatoes is sitting at 80%. This will likely change if more reviews come in. The audience score is not yet available because it releases to the public tomorrow. On IMDb, there is no current score.

Other reviewers who have seen the movie seem to indicate the movie is good, but not necessarily great. We plan to watch as a family when it is released, so I will write up my own thoughts on it then.

Who’s in the live-action Mulan remake?

The cast includes:

Yifei Liu – Mulan
Donnie Yen – Commander Tung
Li Gong – Xianniang
Jet Li – Emperor
Jason Scott – Böri Khan
Yoson An – Honghui
Tzi Ma- Zhou
Rosalind Chao – Li
Pei-Pei Cheng – Matchmaker
Xana Tang – Xiu
Ron Yuan – Sergeant Qiang
Jun Yu – Cricket – don’t get too excited, he’s a human archer in the live-action movie
Chen Tang – Yao
Doua Moua – Po
Jimmy Wong – Ling
Nelson Lee – Chancellor

For a full cast list, you can check out the list at IMDb.

So Mushu’s not in the live-action remake?

NO. He’s not in the live-action remake. If you don’t like it, boycott Disney. I’m sure they’ll really care.

Is the live-action version a musical?

The live-action version of Mulan is not a musical. Though you may hear instrumental versions of some of the songs from the original that might make you smile.