Why People Are Boycotting Disney+'s Live Action Mulan

On September 4th, Disney released the newest live action film Mulan to their streaming service Disney+. Many people have decided against watching the film, and here's why.

1. The movie lacks beloved characteristics from the animated film.

This film is missing many of the things that made the cartoon version so enjoyable. In an attempt to make the movie seem more realistic, the directors decided to remove Mushu, Li Shang, and the musical numbers. Instead, there is a phoenix and a shape shifting witch. Although those additions aren't realistic either, director Niki Caro clarified that the phoenix and the witch have some sort of more symbolic and emotional meanings.

A few other differences are that Li Shang has been replaced by a man who bullies Mulan who ends up falling in love with her, Mulan has a sister, the grandmother has been removed from the story, and her surname was changed from Fa to Hua. [source]

2. The price is too expensive.

On top of the $6.99 monthly fee for the Disney+ subscription, this movie costs an extra $30 to watch. For families who would spend more than that at a theater, this could be appealing. This is especially an expensive price for someone who planned to watch it alone or with one other person. Thirty dollars on top of a $7 monthly subscription is unappealing to many.

3. The actress who plays Mulan shared a very controversial post.

Liu Yifei, the actress who plays the live action Mulan, had made a post that made it seem like she supported police over protesters. "I support the Hong Kong police. You can all attack me now. What a shame for Hong Kong," she said in a Weibo post. After this statement, many people found it evident that Yifei supports police brutality and oppression in Hong Kong. Neither Disney nor the actress herself has responded to any of this backlash. [source] "Liu added the hashtag 'IAlsoSupportTheHongKongPolice' and a heart emoji. The post received over 72,000 likes and over 65,000 shares in less than 24 hours" says The Hollywood Reporter.

4. Criticisms regarding Chinese culture have arisen.

Author Xiran Jay Zhao mentioned a lot of these issues on Twitter, including the inaccurate depictions of "qi" which is witchcraft. She also mentions that she has the FBI's motto etched onto her sword, which is just laughable. Her Twitter thread lists many other culturally incorrect or disrespectful facors of this movie.

Although this cultural issue exists within the movie, it is still a step up from the cultural stereotypes that are strewn throughout the animated version. To prevent this cultural issue completely, however, they could have at least hired one Chinese screenwriter, as none of the four screenwriters are of Chinese descent.

5. Some production took place in Xinjiang where Muslim concentration camps are.

According to the Washington Post, four Chinese Communist Party propaganda departments in Xinjiang are given a special thanks for allowing them to film there. Millions of Uighur Muslims have been imprisoned (and died) in concentration camps in these areas. "Forced sterilization campaigns have caused the birth rate in Xinjiang to plummet roughly 24 percent in 2019 — and “imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group” fits within the legally recognized definition of genocide" says the Washington Post. This means that Disney filmed in a place where genocide is occurring, thanked their governments, and then moved on as if it wasn't happening.

From minuscule reasons like a lack of songs, no Li Shang, and other changes to the story all the way to very controversial reasons like supporting police brutality and Communism, many people have decided against watching the film or waiting until it is free, which will reportedly happen on December 4th for those with a Disney+ membership.