Disney's live-action Mulan continues to assemble a formidable cast. Following the announcement that Donnie Yen had joined the project, new reports indicate that Chinese screen legend Gong Li has signed on, and martial arts superstar Jet Li is in final negotiations for a key role.
Key facts at a glance
- Gong Li has joined the cast as a powerful witch, a new character created for the remake.
- Jet Li is in final negotiations to play the Emperor of China.
- Xana Tang has been cast as Mulan's sister, another addition from the animated film.
- Liu Yifei will play Mulan, and Donnie Yen will play Commander Tung.
- The film is directed by Niki Caro and is scheduled for release on March 27, 2020.
- Filming is expected to begin in the summer.
What roles will Gong Li and Jet Li play?
Gong Li is set to play a villain described as a powerful witch. This is a significant departure from the 1998 animated film, which did not feature any supernatural characters in such a central role. The addition of a witch introduces a more explicitly magical element to the live-action retelling and expands the story beyond the original cartoon's focus on Mulan's journey as a soldier.
Jet Li, according to trade reports, is in talks to play the Emperor of China. In the story, the emperor orders one man from every family to join the imperial army to defend the country from an invading force. That decree is what pushes Mulan, the eldest daughter of an aging veteran, to disguise herself as a man and take her father's place. The role of the emperor is smaller than the villain's, but it carries significant narrative weight.
The outlet also reported that Chinese-Vietnamese actress Xana Tang has joined the cast as Mulan's sister. That role is another new addition to the story, as the animated film does not feature a sister. Her inclusion could deepen Mulan's family relationships and give her more personal stakes in protecting her household.
Gong Li's career
Gong Li is widely regarded as one of the greatest actresses in Chinese cinema. She first gained international attention in 1988 with Zhang Yimou's Red Sorghum, a film that won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival and helped launch the Fifth Generation of Chinese filmmakers. Over the next decade, she became Zhang's most frequent collaborator and muse, starring in landmark films such as Ju Dou, Raise the Red Lantern, and The Story of Qiu Ju. The latter won her the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival in 1992.
She also appeared in Chen Kaige's Farewell My Concubine, which became the first Chinese-language film to win the Palme d'Or at Cannes. Gong's performance as Juxian, the determined wife of a Peking opera star, remains one of the most celebrated in modern Chinese cinema. Her filmography includes both acclaimed art-house dramas and large-scale blockbusters. In Zhang Yimou's Curse of the Golden Flower, she played the Empress opposite Chow Yun-fat, and in 2014 she reunited with Zhang for Coming Home.
Gong also has experience working in English-language films. She starred opposite Jeremy Irons in Wayne Wang's Chinese Box, played a powerful courtesan in Rob Marshall's Memoirs of a Geisha, and appeared in Michael Mann's Miami Vice and Peter Webber's Hannibal Rising. Her ability to move between intimate character studies and epic productions makes her a significant addition to the Mulan cast.
Jet Li's journey to Hollywood
Jet Li was born in Beijing and began training in wushu at a young age. He became a national champion in the sport before transitioning to film. His early work in Hong Kong cinema, particularly the Shaolin Temple series and Tsui Hark's Once Upon a Time in China, made him one of Asia's biggest stars. In the latter series, he played folk hero Wong Fei-hung, combining martial arts mastery with a calm, principled screen presence.
Li made his Hollywood debut in 1998's Lethal Weapon 4, where his villainous role opposite Mel Gibson and Danny Glover immediately established him as an international action star. He subsequently headlined Romeo Must Die, co-starring with Aaliyah, and appeared in Kiss of the Dragon, The One, and Cradle 2 the Grave. Li also continued to work in Chinese cinema, starring in Zhang Yimou's Hero, a visually stunning martial arts epic that became one of the highest-grossing Chinese films of its time.
Other notable credits include Peter Chan's The Warlords, The Forbidden Kingdom opposite Jackie Chan, and the Expendables franchise. In recent years, Li has reduced his workload because of health issues related to hyperthyroidism, so his potential participation in Mulan is particularly notable. If his deal closes, it would be one of his highest-profile roles in years and a major coup for Disney.
Liu Yifei and Donnie Yen in lead roles
Liu Yifei, also known as Crystal Liu, will play Mulan. She is a well-known Chinese actress with credits in martial arts films and television series, including The Return of the Condor Heroes, Forbidden Kingdom, and the live-action adaptation of Out of Control. Her casting was announced in late 2017 after an extensive search that reportedly considered thousands of actresses across China and the Chinese diaspora.
Donnie Yen, who joined the cast the day before Gong Li's announcement, will play Commander Tung, a mentor figure to Mulan. Yen is famous for his roles in Ip Man, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and Kung Fu Jungle. His casting adds another internationally recognized martial arts star to the production, and his character is expected to provide a strong physical and dramatic counterpart to Liu's Mulan.
Departures from the animated classic
The live-action remake has already signaled several changes from the 1998 film. The witch played by Gong Li and Mulan's sister played by Xana Tang are both new characters. The original film featured Mushu, a wisecracking dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy, and a colorful ensemble of ancestors and animal companions. Earlier reports suggested that the remake would not include Mushu or musical numbers from the original, though neither detail has been officially confirmed. Disney has kept the plot details under wraps, but the addition of a powerful witch suggests the filmmakers are leaning into a more mystical, epic tone.
There is also a major departure in the casting process itself. The original animated movie had a mostly English-speaking cast, and its 1998 release came at a time when Hollywood rarely centered Asian stories. The live-action remake has emphasized authenticity by hiring an Asian-led cast, including Chinese actors for the lead roles. Niki Caro, a New Zealand director known for Whale Rider and McFarland, USA, is directing the film. Caro previously praised the project's ambition and called it a chance to tell a classic story with a world-class artist and filmmaker.
Production and release details
Filming is scheduled to begin in the summer. The movie is expected to use locations in New Zealand and China, including areas known for dramatic landscapes. Disney has scheduled Mulan for release on March 27, 2020. That release date places it in a prime early-spring window, similar to other live-action Disney remakes like Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin.
The production is part of Disney's strategy of adapting its animated classics into live-action films. That slate has included Cinderella, The Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin, with more projects in development. Mulan stands out because of its cultural significance and its largely Asian cast, which gives the studio an opportunity to reach a global audience beyond its usual Western market.
Anticipation for the remake
The casting updates have generated considerable buzz. Gong Li's role as a witch is a creative expansion that could give the film a stronger antagonist than the original's Hun leader, Shan Yu. Jet Li as the emperor adds gravitas and ties the film to decades of Chinese martial arts cinema. Xana Tang's character may also help amplify Mulan's personal motivations, making her choice to join the army feel more emotionally grounded.
Production will continue to evolve as more casting announcements are expected in the coming weeks. The combination of Gong Li, Jet Li, Donnie Yen, and Liu Yifei gives Disney a cast with deep roots in both art-house cinema and global action filmmaking. If Jet Li's negotiations reach a successful conclusion, the film will feature two of the most recognizable Chinese actors working today alongside one of the industry's rising stars.