Disney’s Live-Action Mulan Debuts First Poster

The marketing campaign for Disney’s live-action Mulan has officially begun, with an action-packed teaser trailer debuting Sunday during the World Cup. In conjunction with that, Disney debuted the first teaser poster for the film, which you can check out below. The promo art pays homage to one of the original film’s posters, featuring Mulan’s (Yifei Liu) civilian and warrior sides reflected in the blade of her sword.

The new film will bring Mulan’s story to a whole new generation, as she poses as a man in order to serve in the Chinese army and bring honor to her family. The film will be directed by Niki Caro, and will also star Gong Li, Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Jason Scott Lee, Yoson An, Jimmy Wong, Doua Moua, Ron Yuan, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Xana Tang, and Chum Ehelepola.

The film is expected to make some changes from the original – particularly, in not including the wise-cracking dragon Mushu and adapting some of the original songs differently. But if the first trailer is any indication, the feminist essence of the original story will still be felt.

“I really believe that Mulan was one of the first Disney princesses – I mean, she really wasn’t a Disney princess if you think about it.” Ming-Na Wen, who voiced Mulan in the original Disney film, said during a convention appearance last month. “She was just a girl in a village and she became a woman warrior. Which is also the trend, I think, of Disney princesses at the time. They were more or less damsels in distress. And it was really wonderful to have a character that was able to not need a man to save her – in fact, she saved the guy – and came into her own discovery of what her self worth is and what she was capable of doing.”

“And also, you know, she did dress up as a boy, and I think that had kind of an unexpected, but wonderful impact for a lot of people of the LGBT community as well.” Wen explained. “And I think it’s wonderful that there has been a Disney princess/warrior that has been able to cross a lot of boundaries. Actually, not cross, but just opened up a lot of different aspects of what a woman can be.”

What do you think of the first poster for Disney’s Mulan? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Mulan will debut in theaters on March 27, 2020.