When Disney's live-action
Mulan remake there were a ton of fan suggestions concerning who should play
Mushu and it turns out the hilarious little spirit dragon won't appear in the Niki Caro-directed pic. Speaking to Digital Spy, Caro explained the decision.
"
You know, the animated classic stands on its own in that regard. In this movie, there is a creature representative – a spiritual representation of the ancestors, and most particularly of Mulan’s relationship with her father… But an update of Mushu? No."
It's rumored that
Mulan's ancestral spirit in this film will be a phoenix instead of dragon, however this character is said to have a much smaller role.
It seems the absence of
Mushu was part of the film's efforts to achieve a certain level of realism, which is also why there are no musical numbers in the film. While there will be music in the film, don't expect any of the characters to break out into song.
"
I mean, back to the realism question – we don’t tend to break into song when we go to war. Not that I’m saying anything against the animation. The songs are brilliant, and if I could squeeze them in there, I would have. But we do honour the music from the animation in a very significant way. I guess that’s the biggest thing for me about making – remaking – an iconic title like Mulan in live-action. It’s the fact that it can be real, and it’s the real story of a girl going to war."
Mulan hits theaters in North America on March 27, 2020. It should perform fairly well as the biggest competition in the family film genre will be Pixar's
Onward (March 6),
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway (April 3) and
Trolls World Tour (April 17).
When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father. Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her inner-strength and embrace her true potential. It is an epic journey that will transform her into an honored warrior and earn her the respect of a grateful nation and a proud father.