There’s more bad news for Disney’s Mulan, as new reports suggest the live-action adaptation could be pushed from its upcoming July release date.
According to THR, Disney is weighing up the options of delaying the movie. Currently slated for a July 24 release, a surge in COVID-19 cases across the United States has led to fears that not enough theaters will be open for the film to make the most of the box office and claw back its $200 million budget.
Mulan premiered on March 9 and was supposed to receive a general release on March 27. However, alongside the rest of its 2020 slate, Disney decided to delay Mulan in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Sources explained how Los Angeles and New York are two of the biggest hubs where Mulan needs theaters to be open, but with both being COVID-19 hotspots, it's unclear what the government's next move will be. Elsewhere, Mulan is expected to be a huge hit in China, which is also facing its own uncertain future with opening cinemas. Either way, Disney hasn't made an official announcement yet.
Christopher Nolan's Tenet was due out on July 17 and set to take the crown as 2020's first summer blockbuster. Warner Bros. decided the schedule was a tight with theaters reopening and pushed Tenet to July 31. Now that Mulan is poised to be the first big movie of the season, Disney is also taking stock of COVID-19's effects.
Following in the footsteps of live-action outings including Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King, Niki Caro’s Mulan is bringing the beloved 1998 cartoon to life. Instead of being a straight retelling of the animated film, however, Caro has mixed things up to focus on the core story of a young woman forced to fight for her family’s name.
The official synopsis for Mulan is below:
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.
Directed by Niki Caro, Disney's Mulan stars Yifei Liu as Mulan, Donnie Yen as Commander Tung, Jason Scott Lee as Böri Khan and Yoson An as Cheng Honghui, with Gong Li as Xianniang and Jet Li as the Emperor. The film arrives in theaters July 24.