Hot off the heels of Disney's live action movie Cinderella now comes the news about another live action adaptation of a beloved animated classic - Mulan.
The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Disney enlisted writing team Elizabeth Martin and Lauren Hynek to recreate the story of Chinese legend Hua Mulan, which was first seen in Disney's 1998 animated film.
The two met in high school and has worked together for the Know Theatre of Cincinnati and rewrote a script for Amazon Studios.
Meanwhile, Chris Bender and J.C. Spink (We're the Millers) will be producing the live action movie.
The 1998 animated film, which was directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook, tells the story of a Chinese girl who struggled to fit in with the traditional Chinese girl's identity. When her ailing father was called on to represent the family and go to war, Mulan decided to disguise as a boy and take her father's place. She is accompanied by a fictional dragon named Mushu, who helps her in her journey to become a full-fledged warrior.
The movie earned $304.3 million worldwide, even nabbing Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. There was also a 2005 sequel to the film called Mulan II.
Disney's live action movies started with Alice in Wonderland back in 2010, which starred Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Anne Hathaway. It earned $1.02 billion, prompting Disney to follow with Maleficent, a modern retelling of the classic Sleeping Beauty tale. Maleficent starred Angelina Jolie, and has earned $758.4 million worldwide since it was released on May 2014.
It was followed by Cinderella this year, which stars Downton Abbey star Lily James and Game of Thrones alum Richard Madden. So far, it has earned $336.2 million since opening in theatres three weeks ago.
Some of Disney's live action movie projects include Beauty and the Beast. It first cast Harry Potter alum Emma Watson for the lead role, followed by The Hobbit actor Luke Evans as Gaston and Downton Abbey alum Dan Stevens as Beast. The movie's cast is shaping up beautifully with Frozen actor Josh Gad as LeFou, Emma Thompson, and stage actress Audra McDonald. It will be released on March 17, 2017.
The Jungle Book is also in the works, which will be released sometime in 2016. It will star Benedict Cumberbatch, Bill Murray, and Christian Bale, among many others. At the same time, Tim Burton will be handling Dumbo.
