Yesterday, Disney dropped the first trailer for the live-action remake of Mulan and despite the visually stunning footage, fans only had one subject on their mind. Where on Earth is that pesky dragon Mushu?
The trailer is meant to tease surface details and offers 90 seconds of spectacular fight choreography and stellar cinematography. And surprisingly, the tone feels epic for an adaptation of a Disney musical. But nowhere in this first glimpse is a mention of the famous dragon. And the subject has caused a stir much like the casting of The Little Mermaid.
Well, there are some answers to be found but whether they are satisfying is highly subjective. Here is everything known about Mushu in the new Mulan.
Is Mushu in the new Mulan?
The details surrounding Mushu still remain shrouded in mystery but some whispers from early test screenings claim the character has undergone a makeover. According to Disinsider, a source claimed that Mushu does appear in the film but not as a dragon. In this version, he is reported to be a Phoenix.
The only issue, Disney has not confirmed if this is true or not. However, further back the same site reported that Kevin Hart was rumored to replace Eddie Murphy as the character–but that was debunked soon after. And IMDb still does not have the character listed in the film yet.
Adding to this, Disinsider says the film will not have much music in it–if at all. So, it sounds like the filmmakers are planning to take liberties and make something entirely its own.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with this approach. If anything, not being tied to the source allows for more original thinking and creativity. And in a world full of remakes and sequels, a little freedom to try something fresh is never a bad thing.
That said, the film is several months away from being released and can change drastically in post-production. So up until March, anything can evolve or transition depending on Disney’s satisfaction. As far as the existence of Mushu, it seems like a safe gamble that fans can expect him to appear in some capacity.
Mulan will be released in theaters everywhere March 27, 2020.