If you’ve ever wanted to see a textbook example of the ripple effect, simply cast an eye toward the House of Mouse. Swapping Mowgli for Simba and Co., we brought you the news last week that Favreau and Disney had struck another deal that involves a reboot of The Lion King – whether the end product will incorporate live-action elements, given there are zero human characters in the 1994 classic, is still up for question – and now, The Hollywood Reporter can confirm that a live-action spin on Mulan is being fast-tracked into development.
It has a release date, too – November 2, 2018, with THR noting that the Mouse House has already fired up an international casting search to fill the primary roles. Locating an actress to play Hua Mulan, the Chinese legend at the heart of the story, will naturally take top billing. Frustrated by the passing of her father, our heroine enlists for the country’s army under the guise of a male soldier, going on to become an instrumental presence in the fight against the Huns.
Indeed, that search stretches behind the lens as well, given that there’s no mention of a director as yet. Avatar scribes Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver are the writers attached.
First teased in 2015, this is the first tangible sign of development from Disney’s Mulan. As mentioned before, the barnstorming success of The Jungle Book has clearly instilled a sense of confidence in the studio, and one will hope that that success carries over to Beauty and the Beast with Dan Stevens and Emma Watson. But the production line doesn’t end there, with Maleficent 2, The Little Mermaid and Mary Poppins Returns all incubating in development as well.
Mulan has now been slated for November 2, 2018 at which point Disney’s modern retelling will be released across standard theaters and 3D.