Disney couldn’t possibly wish upon a star for more cash than they’re drumming up from
live action fairy tales!
And after Alice, Aurora, Cinderella and soon Belle, the Mouse House plans to introduce
us to live action versions of Ariel and Mulan!
Now you can click here to see how Disney could potentially cast Ariel, and there will be
a link again at the end of this video - but right now, we’re going to focus on Mulan.
The original animated film has won over many fans by honoring Chinese culture but also
for depicting something not usually seen in a Disney princess movie - soldiers at war!
Plus Mulan was unusually stylized for a Disney animated film, to a level perhaps not seen
since Sleeping Beauty.
It was also surprisingly cinematic.
So considering the trend of making these live action adaptations darker and more complex,
imagine what would result by applying that filter to a live action Mulan!
Oh boy!
Now, to casting.
I have a few asian american actresses on this list, but neither are particularly well-known.
Combine that with the potent box office numbers coming out of Asia, and it makes sense to
cast an actress from that region.
Western audiences will be introduced to a new face no matter what, so why not go with
someone who will at least be recognized in the world’s other biggest moviegoing market?
That only leaves a question of age.
Mia Wasikowska, Lily James and Emma Watson are all in their mid-twenties while Elle Fanning
is still a teenager.
With that in mind, The Wolverine’s Rila Fukushima might be a good pick.
Fukushima has proven she’s good with a sword not only in that film, but also on the CW’s
Arrow where she portrays Katana.
Plus she’s good at keeping a secret herself - nobody can find out the Japanese model’s
age!
But on that note, China’s relations with Japan are not ideal and Chinese audiences
could be offended that a Japanese actress is portraying one of their most famous legends.
Now, Mulan’s story doesn’t dictate that she be particularly young and if Disney is
willing to consider an actress in her thirties, they have some excellent options.
Not to mention in the original poem Mulan fights in the army for twelve years, so an
older actress would be able to better convey that passage of time.
A great choice would be Zhang Ziyi who first wowed audiences in Crouching Tiger Hidden
Dragon.
That franchise still carries some weight with audiences across the globe, making her perhaps
the most recognizable option for Disney.
But another Chinese actress quickly gaining global recognition is BingBing Fan, who not
only portrayed Blink in X-Men Days of Future Past but also appeared in the Chinese cut
of Iron Man 3.
That means she already has a relationship with Disney...
Then there’s another Japanese actress to consider, Rinko Kikuchi.
She’s not only a major star in Japan, but was seen worldwide in Pacific Rim.
She also noteworthy as the first Japanese actress to be nominated for an Oscar in fifty
years with her work in Alejandro Inarritu’s Babel, back in 2006.
Kikuchi is also currently on the indie radar for her starring role in Kumiko The Treasure
Hunter, about a Japanese woman searching for the lost treasure from the film...Fargo?!
Japanese model turned actress Tao Okamoto is also gaining some worldwide recognition,
portraying Mariko in The Wolverine and Mercy Graves in the upcoming Batman v Superman.
But would Disney really consider someone working for the competition?
As for those Asian American actresses I promised you, there’s Katie Chang perhaps best known
for her role in Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring.
She’s definitely the right age, but would Disney consider someone of mixed heritage
- and part Korean rather than part Chinese - for a role that’s, again, legendary in
China?
Then if Jem and the Holograms is a big hit, Hayley Kiyoko could pop up on Disney’s radar.
But here too, Kiyoko’s asian ancestry is Japanese.
And finally, I’m sure many of you are hoping to hear Jamie Chung’s name, as she portrays
Mulan on ABC’s Once Upon a Time.
That version of Mulan, who finds herself falling in love with Princess Aurora aka Sleeping
Beauty, has gained quite a cult following.
So who do you think is the best choice to portray a live action Mulan?
And should Disney be as concerned with nationality as asian audiences seem to be?
Write your thoughts down below.
I’m Grace Randolph and this has been a Movie Byte!
You can watch more, including who should be cast as Ariel, right now!