YIBADA

Live-action 'Mulan' film star Chinese? Disney launches global casting search for titular role

| Oct 07, 2016 05:33 AM EDT

'Mulan' is a 1998 American animated musical action-comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan.

Disney will release "Mulan" in 3D on Nov. 2, 2018. The classic tale will be retold for the silver screen with a modern live-action lens along with the help of some computer-generated imagery (CGI).

Disney has also launched a global casting search for a Chinese actress to play the iconic role of Hua Mulan, The Hollywood Reporter reported. The female heroine, who assumes her aged father's placed in the army, was among the most skilled warriors China ever saw.

It can be recalled more than 100,000 individuals took preventive measures by signing a petition calling Sony Pictures to hone more cultural sensitivity when casting the titular role, Metro reported. Issues about whitewashing started when Tilda Swinton was tapped to play the Ancient One in the upcoming superhero film "Doctor Strange" and Scarlett Johansson for her role as Motoko Kusanagi in the live-action adaptation of Masamune Shirow's "Ghost in the Shell."

"Jurassic World" screenwriters Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver have reportedly collaborated to work on the script, along with Jake Weiner, Chris Bender, and Jason Reed producting the live-action "Mulan" film. There is no word yet on who will direct the live-action movie, but it will be supervised and part-funded by 2.0 Entertainment.

This is not the first time that classic fairytales are being remade into a live-action movie. To begin with, there was 2014's "Maleficent," which was then followed by Jon Favreau's "The Jungle Book" and Kenneth Branagh's "Cinderella."

"Beauty and the Beast," the live-action adaptation of the 1991 animated musical film, is slated to hit the movie theaters on March 17, 2017. It stars an ensemble cast that includes Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Kevin Kline and Josh Gad.

Check out Walt Disney's 1998 animated "Mulan" film below:

Related News

Most Popular

EDITOR'S PICK