Disney responds to Mulan live-action remake whitewashing allegations
Assures: 'All primary roles, including the love interest, are Chinese'
THE House of Mouse has dismissed claims that they are planning to change the ethnicity of any of the main characters when it remakes animated classic Mulan into a live act film.
On Monday (October 11) an anonymous open letter was posted to the site by someone claiming to have read a spec script which featured a “30-something European trader” who falls in love with a teenage Mulan.
The original 1998 film was based on an ancient Chinese legend with its characters and setting as such.
As the letter went viral so did the outrage on social media which in addition to angry tweets, prompted an calling for people to "take a stand against whitewashing in the media".
It urged the film company to cast an appropriate actress to play the Chinese heroine and cited The Last Airbender, Pan and the Ghost in the Shell remake as examples of Hollywood casting white actresses in roles of colour.
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Petition creator Natalie Molnar wrote: "This disturbing trend of whitewashing in big-budget movies can't get a chance to take root in Mulan as well, and if any company can afford to 'risk' adapting a beloved story with a cast of POCs, it's Disney."
A industry insider has since assured that this is not what is happening here.
They told : "The spec script was a jumping-off point for a new take on the story that draws from both the literary ballad of Mulan and Disney's 1998 animated film.
"Mulan is and will always be the lead character in the story, and all primary roles, including the love interest, are Chinese."
Mulan is just the latest flick from Disney‘s back catalogue to be given the live-action treatment.
Sleeping Beauty was re-imagined in the form of 2014’s Maleficent starring Angelina Jolie.
Live action versions of Cinderella and The Jungle Book soon followed with Beauty And The Beast slated for next spring.
Disney also recently confirmed plans for a live action version of The Lion King and a sequel to The Jungle Book, both of which will be directed by Jon Favreau.
Plus, Snatch director Guy Ritchie is said to be in talks to bring a live-action version of Aladdin to the big screen.
A release date for Mulan has not been announced.