Chinese critics, both at home and abroad, said they were disappointed with the film's inaccurate and stereotypical portrayals of Chinese history and the main character, infused with nationalist tropes. Others were not as bothered.

Did the Mulan remake do well in China?

China Box Office: 'Mulan' Is One Of Disney's Worst-Performing Remakes.

How did the Chinese feel about Mulan?

Some Beijingers, The Baltimore Sun also reported, found the Disney version of Mulan "too self-aggrandizing," which is a big no-no under China's Confucian culture, which values modesty and community.

Is the new Mulan more historically accurate?

While the basic premise of the animated version is the same, Disney updated many important details that make the live-action more historically accurate and true to the original Ballad of Mulan.

Why did Mulan live-action flopped?

Even though Disney spent a lot of effort to fit the Chinese market, the reason why Mulan failed in the Chinese market is due to the stereotype and misunderstanding of the traditional Chinese culture, make-up, costumes and sceneries, and characteristics, which ultimately caused the movie to become nondescript.

EVERYTHING CULTURALLY WRONG WITH MULAN 2020 (And How They Could've Been Fixed)

Why did Mulan get bad reviews?

The cinematography is great and the colors are often vibrant, but the story is pretty dull. The lead actress is awfully bland as well. The action and music are standouts, but get bogged down by some pacing issues. My biggest issue with this film though is Mulan herself.

Was Mulan banned in China?

China blocked the release of Disney's animated “Mulan” for eight months in the late 1990s after the company backed Martin Scorsese's “Kundun,” a film seen as sympathetic to the Dalai Lama. The animated “Mulan” bombed in China as a result.

Why did Disney change Mulan so much?

In the original, the general's son Li Shang trains the recruits and ultimately falls for Mulan. The team behind the new movie explained the change was down to the #MeToo movement - they felt Mulan's officer becoming her love interest felt a bit off given his position of power.

Is Mulan culturally correct?

Mulan's Origins - Mulan's legend started as folksong amongst non-Han Chinese - its fictional, so there is no historical accuracy to speak of. The earliest surviving record is a relatively short story/poem of less than 400 Chinese text/characters .

Is Shan Yu based on a real person?

Shan Yu was inspired by the real-life Attila the Hun. Though while Shan Yu died by the hands of fireworks, Attila died by choking on his own blood the night he was to be wed to his future wife, Ildico. Coincidently the name of the computer system that was used to animate the Hun army charge was called Attila.

Why wasn t Mulan popular in China?

Why was the animated Mulan movie not well received in China? - Quora. It was a combination of factors, which can be summed up to three points: collateral damage for Kundun, the limited release, and the foreign-looking story.

Which Mulan is more accurate?

Though the 1998 version is based on this same legend, it pulls many Westernized additions out of thin air, like Mulan's pint-sized dragon sidekick Mushu and love interest Shang. While you might not be able to picture the story without these elements, they ultimately make for a more historically accurate film.

Why is there no Mushu in Mulan?

Mushu was seen as trivialising the Chinese culture

USC Professor Stanley Ronsen also told The Hollywood Report that the character was seen as a trivialisation of the culture in China. “Mushu was very popular in the US, but the Chinese hated it,” he said. “This kind of miniature dragon trivialised their culture.”

What did China think of Kung Fu Panda?

Upon leaving theaters, “Kung Fu Panda” had not only become the most successful American animated film in Chinese history, but the most successful animated film in China, period. This success was commercial as well as critical.

Why is there a phoenix in Mulan?

"Using it as a silly sidekick didn't play very well with the traditional Chinese audience." But perhaps the most significant reason why the new Mulan film features a phoenix instead is due to the symbolism of the mythical bird for Chinese women in particular — or at least according to Caro's vision.

How much money did Mulan 1998 make?

It went on to gross $120 million in the United States and Canada combined, and $304 million worldwide, making it the second-highest grossing family film of the year, behind A Bug's Life, and the seventh-highest-grossing film of the year overall.

What was historically incorrect about Mulan?

Mulan's Feet Were Not Bound

Disney never shows this practice, although it is assumed in the ballad that she unbound her feet before heading off on her journey into the heat of battle. This is definitely one of the biggest historical inaccuracies in Mulan but was left out for understandable reasons.

Why did they change Mulan's last name?

Mulan's surname is tweaked from Fa, the Cantonese pronunciation of her name, to Hua, which makes it truer to the name of the original ballad. However, both names have the same basic meaning.

Did Mulan become a concubine?

Even worse, the Khan has summoned her to the palace to become his concubine. Rather than to suffer this fate, she dies by suicide. But before she dies, she entrusts an errand to her younger sister, Youlan (Chinese: 又蘭), which was to deliver Xianniang's letter to her fiancé, Luó Chéng.

Did Disney apologize for Mulan?

Disney has not issued a formal statement or apology on the matter, and has told creatives involved in “Mulan” to steer clear of the subject.

Why is Li Shang not in the new Mulan?

However, the character was cut from Disney's live-action remake. The producer Jason Reed cited the #MeToo movement as the reason. Cutting Li Shang, a character who means a lot to LGBTQ Disney fans around the world, was a huge missed opportunity for Disney.

How is the new Mulan different?

The live-action movie splits Li Shang into two characters. Li Shang doesn't exist in the new movie. Instead, the live-action film introduces fans to Honghui, a young man who serves as Mulan's equal in the fifth battalion. Donnie Yen plays her commanding officer and mentor who encourages her to embrace her Chi.

Was Mulan's remake a flop?

Although the live-action movie of Mulan was a flop, at least the cartoon was one of the two Mulan movies that was a hit. The cartoon Mulan on IMDb got a star rating of 7.6, and the live-action received a star rating of only 5.4.

Was Mulan's movie a flop?

The film reportedly grossed between $60 million and $90 million in the United States within the first 12 days of its online release, paling in comparison to its budget. In China, the film took in $23.2 million on its opening weekend, with a sharp 72% decline the following weekend, according to Yahoo Entertainment.

How much of Disney is owned by China?

The Walt Disney Company owns 43 percent of the resort; the majority 57 percent is held by Shanghai Shendi Group, a joint venture of three companies owned by the Shanghai government.