The release date of Mulan is TBA in its own homeland. (Image via Indozone)

Amid COVID-19 outbreak in China, what about 'Mulan'?

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Sports & Culture
TV & Film
Feb 17, 2020
3615
As the novel coronavirus outbreak in China threatens various sectors, entertainment is also at risk. COVID-19 will most likely threaten the release of ‘Mulan’, a live-action movie based on an adaptation of a Chinese folklore. It is because China is the second-largest market for the film, bested by the United States (U.S).

Mulan is set to release on 27 March in North America. About the release date in China, Disney’s boss, Bob Iger, said that the release date remains to be announced (TBA). It is because the release date for movies is not set by the production house, but by the government itself.

Meanwhile, the analysts estimated that Disney should reap a lot of revenues from Mulan in China thanks to its ancient Chinese story and values.

Mulan tells a story about a legendary Chinese woman, Hua Mulan (starring Liu Yifei), who goes undercover as a male soldier to replace and protect her dad from the war. The struggle continues as the Mulan immerses herself into battle and conflict to maintain her “masculinity”. The film also starred legendary Chinese actors and actresses such as the uprising Donnie Yen, Jet Li, Gong Li, and many more.

Fun fact, Liu Yufei, born An Feng, was born in Wuhan.

Before adapted into a live-action movie, Mulan was once released as an animated movie by Disney in 1998. From US$90 million budget, Disney swept US$304.3 million into its pocket.

Undoubtedly, China contributes to a lot of benefits for blockbuster films. For example, all Disney recent movies reaped more than US$120 million from the Middle Kingdom’s silver screen alone! Disney’s movies are often produced using budgets of more than US$1 million; therefore, the Chinese market is important for the production house.

Will COVID-19 dissipate before the release? Will the Chinese movie-goers be convinced to go out to cinema amid the outbreak? These are the concerns for Disney in weeks and months to come.

Source: https://bit.ly/2UW4sUx

Entertainment , Culture , Film , Movie , Disney , Mulan , Asia , China , Medical , Health , Disease , Outbreak , Pulmonary , Pneumonia , Coronavirus , COVID-19