As part of Operation Remake Every Animated Film Ever, Disney are currently preparing a live-action remake of their 1998 hit Mulan – and after billion-dollar successes with the likes of The Jungle Book and Alice In Wonderland, who can blame them? Things are moving fast on Mulan: a script (by Lauren Hynek and Elizabeth Martin, with rewrites by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver) is in place, and a release date has been set, but we don’t yet know who’s directing it. We do know who’s not directing it, though: Ang Lee.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lee was approached by Disney, who are keen to find an Asian director for the China-set tale, apparently sensitive to accusations of whitewashing. Taiwanese-born Lee, with experience in telling stories from both sides of the globe, would have been a smart choice. But he has turned down the offer, without giving a reason. (Disney also intend to have a predominantly Chinese cast, with both Mulan and her love interest to be played by Asian actors.)
The ancient legend of Hua Mulan, a warrior woman from the 5th century who disguised herself as a man to fight in her father’s army, has proved ripe ground for adaptations. Many films based on her story have already been produced, and continue to be: along with Disney's effort, Sony are also plotting their own rival version of the story, also live-action. Sony’s version is still in the embryonic stages, however, and will probably arrive a little later than Disney’s, which is currently slated for a 2 November, 2018 release date.
Ang Lee, meanwhile, is busy promoting his latest effort, the war drama Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk, due for a November release in the US and a January release here in the UK; and beyond that, he’s been developing a film based on the famous ‘Thrilla in Manila’ boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, which seems about as far away from Mulan as it’s possible to get.
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