See the First Photo of Liu Yifei in Disney’s Live-Action ‘Mulan’ Movie
Meet your new Mulan! Disney just released the first photo of Liu Yifei as the title character in its upcoming live-action version of the animated classic, and it’s as beautiful and badass as we hoped it would be.
The photo shows the movie’s star dressed in a crimson robe and holding a sword while staring intensely at the camera. Disney tweeted the image to mark the first day of production on the film, which — like its 1998 animated predecessor — tells the story of a young woman who disguises herself as a man in order to take her father’s place in the army.
“Mulan is the epic adventure of a fearless young woman who masquerades as a man in order to fight Northern Invaders attacking China. The eldest daughter of an honored warrior, Hua Mulan is spirited, determined, and quick on her feet,” the studio said, according to E! News. “When the emperor issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army, she steps in to take the place of her ailing father as Hua Jun, becoming one of China’s greatest warriors ever.”
Liu Yifei was first announced as the project’s star in November 2017. Prior to the announcement, the 30-year-old actress (who is also known as Crystal Liu) was known mostly for her film and television roles in China.
Mulan, which will shoot on location in China and New Zealand and is being directed by Niki Caro, will also star Utkarsh Ambudkar, Yoson An, Rosalind Cheng Pei-Pei, Chum Ehelepola, Jason Scott Lee, Nelson Lee, Gong Li, Jet Li, Tzi Ma, Donnie Yen, and Ron Yuan.
Although it was originally set to open in theaters on November 2, 2018, Disney pushed the release date by more than a year, to March 27, 2020.
What do you think about the first pic of Liu Yifei as Disney’s Mulan? Let us know @BritandCo!
(photo via Stephen Tilley/Walt Disney Studios)
