This is a proper teaser trailer. Disney has dropped the first look at its upcoming live-action remake of Mulan, based on the tale of China's legendary woman warrior. Let me just say, if you want to get me excited about this Mulan movie I've been a little skeptical about up to now, this is how you do it. Sign me up.
The film tells the story of Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, who steps in to take the place of her ailing father when the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders. Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her inner-strength and embrace her true potential. The epic journey will transform her into an honored warrior and earn her the respect of a grateful nation... and a proud father.
The trailer reveals familiar beats of the animated film, while offering the scale and scope of a period war epic. You've got our heroine expected to be a dutiful daughter and marry her match, juxtaposed against scenes of Mulan riding a horse, wielding a sword, doing gung fu flippity flips, scaling rooftops and shooting off a shitload of arrows. All while maintaining the glorious curls in her hair.
Check it out:
Directed by Niki Caro, from a screenplay by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver and Elizabeth Martin & Lauren Hynek, Mulan stars Yifei Liu in the title role, leading a celebrated international cast that includes Donnie Yen as Commander Tung, Jason Scott Lee as Böri Khan, Yoson An as Cheng Honghui, with Gong Li as Xianniang and Jet Li as the Emperor. The cast also features Rosalind Chao, Tzi Ma, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Doua Moua, Jimmy Wong, Ron Yuan, Chen Tang, Roger Yuan, Pei-Pei Cheng, Xana Tang and Nelson Lee.
Here's the freshly released teaser poster:
Let's hope they threw that script in a trash can and lit it on fire.
Mulan is set to hit U.S. theaters on March 27, 2020.
