The movie is a remake of the famous 1998 animated film by the same name. Its premiere was at first set for 9 March, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, it has been delayed several times. Disney released it on 4 September via its streaming service Disney+. It will also have a traditional release in cinemas in countries where Disney+ is unavailable.
Disney’s new live-action movie Mulan is facing boycott calls in several Asian nations as well as in the United States. Those calling for a boycott note that the film’s star – Chinese-born American actress Liu Yifei – voiced support for the police during last year’s protests in Hong Kong, a move that supporters of a boycott claim was undemocratic and thus should be condemned. Calls for the movie to be avoided have been made in Hong Kong, Thailand, and Taiwan.
Social media users are divided on the issue. While some netizens have contended that the actress made an inappropriate remark and agreed to boycott the film…
I knew nothing about this and was quite looking forward to this film. I will now be boycotting it entirely. #HumanRights #BoycottMulan
— Angela Condon (@IrishCondon79) September 5, 2020
…others opposed the meaure and noted that one should not judge movies by actors’ political views.
— UL (@SpeedDemon0511) September 5, 2020
In 2019, protests erupted in Hong Kong over a law that allowed the extradition of people to mainland China, something that opponents of the legislation have said may be detrimental to democracy in the autonomous region. During the rallies, demonstrators repeatedly clashed with police and over time, the clashes became violent. Government critics accused law enforcement of using excessive force against the protesters.
