While fans might be pleased with Disney's decision to bring Mulan to Disney+, countless movie theaters have taken exception with the blockbuster-sized shift. However, one theater owner took things to the extreme."It’s really a huge effort to stay open right now for most of us, but we were assuming there would be some ambitious movie releases in the coming weeks," Gerard Lemoine, the owner of Cinepal in Palaiseau, Paris told Deadline. "By losing Mulan, we lost the possibility of offering our audiences a long-awaited film that would have helped us after these past hard weeks. It is also a bad message to send to the public [who had been expecting a theatrical release]." Lemoine went viral after a video surfaced of him taking a baseball bat to a Mulan carboard theatrical display.
After several delays stemming from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Disney announced Mulan would release in both theaters and on Disney+ Sept. 4, with the latter option carrying a price tag of $29.99 in the United States for continuous access to the film, so long as the customers remain subscribed to the service. "We’re pleased to bring Mulan to a consumer base that’s been waiting for it as we’ve had to move our [release] dates several times," The Walt Disney Company Chief Executive Officer Bob Chapek said during the company's third-quarter earnings call. "We’re looking at Mulan as a one-off as opposed trying to say that there’s a new business windowing model."
That said, with cinemas across the globe in dire straits due to the pandemic, the potential loss of ticket sales for a tentpole film on the scale of Mulan could prove to be another massive blow to the already struggling industry.
Acclaimed filmmaker Niki Caro brings the epic tale of China’s legendary warrior to life in Disney’s "Mulan," in which a fearless young woman risks everything out of love for her family and her country to become one of the greatest warriors China has ever known. 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 on Disney+ and in theaters Sept. 4.