KATCHING MY I: Move over Cinderella! Now Disney announces plans for a live-action remake of Mulan

Tuesday, 31 March 2015

Move over Cinderella! Now Disney announces plans for a live-action remake of Mulan

PUBLISHED: 01:11, 31 March 2015 | UPDATED: 03:28, 31 March 2015

Disney has scored a series of hits with its live-action remakes of beloved animated films, and that trend has not even begun to slow.

On Monday, the company announced that the newest movie to get the live-action treatment would be Mulan.

Based on the same Chinese legend as the 1998 animated movie, Mulan will follow in the footsteps of Cinderella, Maleficent, and several already-announced upcoming movies.

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Remake: Disney has announced plans to make a live-action version of its 1998 movie, Mulan

Elizabeth Martin and Lauren Hynek wrote the new script for a story about a young woman who disguises herself as a man in order to go to war in her father's place.

The feature cartoon earned over $300 million at the box office in its original release and inspired a direct-to-DVD sequel in 2004.

Ming-Na Wen - an actress who now stars on Marvel's Agents Of Shield - provided Mulan's speaking voice in the original but is unlikely to reprise that role in a live-action movie.

Chinese legend: The story follows Fa Mulan, a young woman who dresses as a man to fight in the army

Original casting: Mulan's voice in the original was provided by Ming-Na Wen, now an actress on Marvel's Agents Of SHIELD, but no new casting has been announced

Success: With over $300 million in ticket sales, Mulan was a hit for Disney

Trailer: Disney's animated film Mulan

Since 2010, Disney has released three live-action adaptations of formerly animated movies: Alice In Wonderland, Maleficent, and Cinderella.

All three have proven to be financial successes, with Alice In Wonderland earning over $1 billion and Maleficent bringing in $758 million.

Even the most recent offering, Cinderella, has managed to earn over $330 million in its first three weeks of wide release.

Live-action trend: Released in March, Cinderella was only the most recent of Disney's new goal of adapting animated movies for live action

Sneaky peak preview clip from Disney's Cinderella

Fans of live-action remakes will not have to wait for Mulan, since Disney has already planned four other adaptations to hit theatres first.

The Jungle Book is the next movie to get a live-action revival, planned for 2016, and a sequel to Alice In Wonderland is expected that year as well.

Beginnings: 2010's Alice In Wonderland made over $1 billion at the box office and started the drive for live-action remakes

A retelling of Beauty And The Beast - starring Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, and Audra McDonald - will begin production in May, with an expected release date of March 17, 2017.

Surprisingly, the other Disney cartoon getting an adaptation is 1941's Dumbo, the story of a flying elephant.

Tim Burton signed on to direct that tricky movie on March 10.