Disney's 'Mulan' Remake Adds 'Pitch Perfect' and 'Marco Polo' Alums
It looks like the cast of Disney's live-action Mulan just got two more members.Utkarsh Ambudkar [...]
It looks like the cast of Disney's live-action Mulan just got two more members.
Utkarsh Ambudkar and Ron Yuan have reportedly joined the cast of Mulan, according to Deadline. Ambudkar previously appeared in Pitch Perfect and The Mindy Project, while Yuan is best known for his roles in Marco Polo and as Sergeant Rusk in the various Star Wars video games.
Ambudkar will play Skath, a con artist, while Yuan will pay Sergeant Qiang, the "fiercely loyal" second in command of the Imperial Regiment.
Mulan will be directed by Niki Caro, and star Liu Yifei as the film's titular heroine. As fans of the original Disney animated film know, the story sees Mulan disguising herself as a man to join the military, and saving China in the process.
The cast of Mulan will also include Donnie Yen as Mulan's mentor, Jet Li as the emperor, and Gong Li as the movie's villain.
The film, which is already being dubbed one of the most expensive movies ever made, is expected to film in China and New Zealand later this year. While the project has accumulated a bit of fan backlash - namely, for the lack of beloved love interest Li Shang - it sounds like there's a lot to be excited about with the project.
Even Ming-Na Wen, who voiced Mulan in the original 1998 animated film, has expressed her optimism about the live-action remake, and about Yifei.
"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Wen said at a convention appearance late last year. "And she's perfect for it. I'm so excited. And she's Chinese! Thank you!"
"Just don't eff it up," Wen added. "But I'd like to think that the animation Mulan still holds a special place in people's hearts, you know? Me and Lea Solanga [Mulan's singing voice] creating this beautiful image with the animators and Disney back in the day, before even CGI was a big thing. It was one of the first CGI animations. I'm very proud of the continued legacy. I hope that they do it justice."
What do you think of the newest casting announcements for Mulan? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Mulan will be released on March 27, 2020.