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Everyone has been eagerly waiting for the release of Disney’s mega-budget live-action remake of Mulan. The film was set for release in cinemas in the U.K. and U.S. on 27th March 2020 but thanks to the COVID pandemic it had to be postponed.
But, now with what we hear, tough times has been increasing for the makers of Mulan. Also, the release date of the film in the Asian markets might get affected due to this trouble. Read on to know more.
According to reports in The Hollywood Reporter, as this Disney film prepares to roll out in theatres in select markets across Asia, the #BoycottMulan movement is increasing. Pro-democracy activists in several countries in the region are calling on audiences to steer clear of the movie.
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A wave of coordinated social media activity in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Thailand over the weekend urged for filmgoers to skip the movie because of past comments made by its star, actress Liu Yifei, supporting Hong Kong’s police force.
Among the most prominent voices calling for the boycott is Hong Kong activist leader Joshua Wong. “Because Disney kowtows to Beijing, and because Liu Yifei openly and proudly endorses police brutality in Hong Kong, I urge everyone who believes in human rights to #BoycottMulan,” he wrote on Twitter
He added that Hollywood was “betraying” the values it “purports to champion.”
The movement started after Mulan actress Liu, a Chinese American, took to Chinese social media service Weibo to share an image which read: “I support Hong Kong’s police, you can beat me up now.” In English, she added: “What a shame for Hong Kong.” Her remarks prompted an instant backlash from the city’s pro-democracy activists, who have repeatedly accused local police of brutality, unlawful arrests and even torture.
The activists in HongKong have been calling on pro-democracy supporters from afar to get behind the #BoycottMulan movement. Since Friday, they appear to have found that backing among Thailand and Taiwan’s endemic activist communities.
Mulan, which cost $200 million to make before marketing, released exclusively over Disney+ in the U.S. over the weekend, but it is scheduled to hit the big screen in various Asian markets on Friday. Although the boycott campaign could take a bit out of earnings in some markets, many analysts expect the film to do gangbusters business in mainland China.
The film is based on a beloved Chinese legend and was shot in China and New Zealand. It also stars, alongside relative newcomer Liu, a slew of Chinese cinema icons, including Gong Li, Jet Li and Donnie Yen.
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