The ‘Mulan’ Trailer’s Lack Of A Favorite Character From The Original Has Left Fans Confused

About midway through the U.S. Women’s National Team’s World Cup win on Sunday, Disney debuted the first trailer for its upcoming live-action remake of the 1998 animated classic Mulan. It’s the latest in a long line of such films that the entertainment conglomerate has been planning for some time. (Aladdin and The Lion King are two of the most recent examples.) However, unlike most of these remakes, Mulan doesn’t appear to have any music in it. Nor, for that matter, did the dragon Mushu make an appearance.

That neither the original movie’s musical elements and the Mushu character — who was voiced by comedian Eddie Murphy — might not be included shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. During the early pre-production stages in 2017, director Niki Caro said that “no songs” were then in the studio’s plans. The Whale Rider director did emphasize that fact that her take would be a “muscular piece of girly martial arts extravaganza in China,” and judging by Sunday’s trailer, that’s exactly the case.

Even so, the lack of the comical Mushu character — or anything remotely resembling him — has set off a firestorm on social media. Most of the negative reactions were, predictably, relegated to a handful of detractors whose attachment to the original cartoon was seemingly unbreakable.

— Derek (@DjSouza95) July 7, 2019

DISNEY: THERE'S NO MUSICALS, SHANG AND MUSHU IN THE MULAN LIVE ACTION

ME: pic.twitter.com/GboGhFhB8T

— Buh-Leh-Sy (@Blessyvilized) July 7, 2019

Dear @DisneyStudios: Your #Mulan movie looks truly dazzling! But you can have my money once you show me the Mushu! Mulan & Mushu are like Pinocchio & Jiminy Cricket, so do Mushu! Also: (SPOILERS!) Please keep the part when Mulan throws her shoe at Shan Yu. Signed, A Demanding Fan https://t.co/qhvfdaEq5f

— KevinSmith (@ThatKevinSmith) July 7, 2019

A few from this camp admitted their initial unhappiness but started to come around after watching the trailer.

Looks amazing!! I'd love to see Mushu, but he probably wouldn't work w/ the kind of film they're making here. Still looks awesome pic.twitter.com/QAwSNTVL7x

— Jeff Rothman (@amazingjr87) July 7, 2019

me before the mulan trailer: so no musical scenes, no shang, NO MUSHU!!! idk if it's gonna work..

me after watching the trailer: pic.twitter.com/i0QIsO3Ozo

— (@fakehappymeal) July 7, 2019

The majority, however, seemed perfectly fine with the changes.

— Eric Goldman (@TheEricGoldman) July 7, 2019

Listen, if we could forgive the live-action Cinderella for not having music & talking mice with clothes, then we can forgive Mulan for not having Mushu. Cinderella was still fantastic. #Mulan pic.twitter.com/BJtfxnnAyr

— Laura (@lsirikul) July 7, 2019

After all, the 1998 cartoon added a lot to the original source material…

— Cindy PikaPika Chu (@iamcindychu) July 7, 2019

…but trolls are gonna troll.

— William Yu (@its_willyu) July 7, 2019