Despite Mushu's reputation as a fan favorite, the 2020 film opts to replace Mushu's character with a phoenix, who assumes the role of Mulan's guardian, albeit a silent one.

What replaced Mushu?

"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.

Why was Mushu recast in Mulan 2?

Though the director shared that Mushu was removed to allow Mulan to better enhance her relationships with her fellow soldiers, his absence may have also been more about not offending viewers, who found Mushu to be insensitive in the 1998 animated feature.

Why did Eddie Murphy leave Mulan?

There are clear reasons why Shrek sabotaged Mulan II for Disney. These stem from DreamWorks' decision to cast Eddie Murphy after Shrek's animation was completed in 2000. Contractual obligations for Shrek 2 kept him away from Mushu and stopped him from returning to Walt Disney Pictures.

Why was Li Shang removed from Mulan?

Li Shang was a popular character in the original "Mulan," and many people considered him bisexual since he was clearly drawn to Mulan while she presented as a male soldier named Ping. However, the character was cut from Disney's live-action remake. The producer Jason Reed cited the #MeToo movement as the reason.

Mulan - Where's Mushu & More Revealed! (2020)

Why is Mushu controversial?

It turns out that the traditional Chinese audience did not particularly think that was the best interpretation of the dragon in their culture. That the dragon is a sign of respect, and of strength and power, and sort of using it as a silly sidekick did not play well with a traditional Chinese audience.”

Is Shang still alive in Mulan 2?

Shang turns up alive and meets up with Yao, Ling, Chien-Po and the princesses, and heads to Qui Gong. Shang interrupts the wedding and admits that Mulan was right about following her heart.

Why did Mulan 2 flop?

The biggest issue is this film features way less action than it's predecessor and way less Mulan (she practically disappears in the middle of the film). Mulan's bickering with Shang is also very badly written. Yet, minor complaints.

What is the new Mulan controversy?

And this month, keen-eyed critics noticed that part of the movie was filmed in the Chinese region of Xinjiang. Disney thanked Xinjiang authorities in the credits. The Chinese government is accused of persecuting Muslims in Xinjiang in the name of fighting terrorism. Calls for a boycott of "Mulan" have grown.

Why doesn t Eddie Murphy play Mushu in Mulan 2?

A clause in Eddie Murphy's contract for doing Shrek 2 (2004) forbade him from reprising the role of Mushu in this film, therefore having his other voice actor Mark Moseley (a man best known for filling in for Murphy's characters like Mushu and Donkey in their TV and Video Game appearances) fill in for this film.

Why did Mulan remake fail?

The filmmakers were trying too hard to pander to China, but did not try hard enough to get their historical facts right. They made Mulan too westernized yet still succumbed to Orientalist stereotypes. They cast popular Chinese actors yet gave them lines in English that felt awkward in a Chinese setting.

Why did the Chinese hate Mushu?

USC professor Stanley Rosen said the character was seen as trivializing Chinese culture by Chinese moviegoers. "Mushu was very popular in the U.S., but the Chinese hated it," they said. "This kind of miniature dragon trivialized their culture."

Why is the new Mulan so different?

Mulan has a sister

Instead, we have Mulan's sister, which is more in line with the original takes on the Chinese ballad. Her sister is more in line with the traditional view of a female, creating a contrast to Mulan. The live-action movie added a sister to give Mulan another reason to sign up.

Is Mooshu in the new Mulan?

The talking guardian dragon Mushu isn't in the Disney Mulan remake but there's a few good reasons. When fans heard that Mushu wouldn't be a part of the Disney Mulan remake there were cries of “dishonour on you, dishonour on your cow!”.

Who married Mulan?

Shang survives the accident and arrives in time to stop the wedding but ultimately Mulan is saved by Mushu who, posing as the mighty Golden Dragon of Unity, frees the three princesses from their vows, and marries Mulan and Li Shang himself causing Mulan to forgive him for his actions.

Is Mulan Based on a true story?

Mulan is a fictional folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century AD) of Chinese history. According to the legend, Mulan takes her aged father's place in the conscription for the army by disguising herself as a man.

Why was Mulan so controversial?

The film also drew ire for filming in Xinjiang, a region of China where Uighur Muslims have been detained in mass internment camps. The film has also been accused of being too white behind the camera.

Why was Mulan 3 cancelled?

Unfortunately for fans of this princess, Mulan II did terribly. Critics regarded the film as a huge disrespect to the original Mulan. This discouraged Disney from pursuing her story any further, so Mulan III was shelved and Ana Ming never made it anywhere.

How does the real story of Mulan end?

Mulan is devastated to discover her father has long died and her mother has remarried. According to the novel, Mulan's mother was surnamed Yuan (袁) and remarried a man named Wei (魏). Even worse, the Khan has summoned her to the palace to become his concubine. Rather than to suffer this fate, she commits suicide.

Did Li Shang fall in love with Mulan?

In the film, Li Shang falls in love with Mulan after she enters the army disguised as a male soldier named Ping. Queer fans have always claimed Li Shang as one of their own because of his close, loving relationship with both Ping and Mulan, even though Disney has never commented on the Chinese army general's sexuality.

Is 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.

What is Mulan's weakness?

Mulan's Character

In the animated film, Mulan's greatest weakness is entirely physical: she simply does not have the capability to do things like carry two bags of who knows what on a hike which leads to Shang kicking her out of the army.

What characters are missing from Mulan?

Mushu, the wise-cracking sidekick dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy, and Li Shang, the captain of the Imperial Army and Mulan's mentor, voiced by B.D. Wong. Among those who love the original, there are sure to be some questions as to why these seemingly pivotal characters were removed.

Why did Disney change Mulan's name?

For instance, a specific discrepancy in the original film is regarding Mulan's family name. It was changed from what it is commonly known as “Hua” in Chinese households to “Fa” in the film to create a character more comfortable for American audiences.

Why did Disney 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.