If you’re wondering how to watch Mulan 2020 online for free, there is way—but you have to wait. Disney released its live-action remake of Mulan on Friday, September 4, on its streaming service, Disney+. The film was originally scheduled to premiere in theaters on March 27, 2020, but due to the current health crisis, its release was pushed back to July 24, 2020. The date was then rescheduled to August 21, 2020 before Disney decided to release it online on Disney+.
However, won’t be available for all Disney+ subscribers at first. In addition to Disney+’s $6.99 per-month fee, subscribers who want to watch Mulan will need to pay an extra $30 for Disney+’s Premier Access. After that, Mulan is available to stream on their account unlimited times. Though $30 may seem like a lot for one movie, many Disney+ subscribers have calculated that the price is still less than most families of four would spend on tickets at the movie theatre. Plus, you can make your popcorn at home.
Still, if you can’t afford or don’t want to pay $30 for Disney+’s Premier Access, there is a way to watch Mulan for free-ish, if you’re already subscribed to Disney+. Three months from now, on December 4, 2020, Disney+ will release the film for all Disney+ subscribers, regardless of if you’ve paid an extra $30 for Premier Access or not. Unfortunately, Disney+ ended its free trial in September 2019, so there’s no way to watch Mulan completely for free if you’re not a Disney+ subscriber. However, if you are already subscribed to Disney+ (or are willing to sign up for $6.99 per month), December 4 will be the time to watch Mulan for an extremely discounted price.
Disney’s animated version of Mulan premiered 1998 and was voiced by Lea Salonga and Ming-Na Wen. The film is based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan, a female warrior who disguises herself as a man and takes her father’s place in the army. The live-action version stars Liu Yifei as Mulan, Donnie Yen as Commander Tung and Jet Li as the Emperor.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly in September 2020, director Niki Caro talked about why she decided to adapt the animated film. “Mulan is not a superhero, so her physical action needed to be anchored in a strong female body and bounded by the laws of physics,” she said. “What you see of [Yifei] fighting on the ground is purely her. She’s not on wires. We haven’t switched her out with a stunt performer. There are no tricks. It’s just cinema and extraordinary performance in every way.”
Yifei also told Entertainment Weekly about how she admires Mulan, but tries not to compare herself to the character. “I try not to compare myself to the character,” she said. “Mulan makes it happen — not through big drama, but through little decisions and bravery and self-awareness.”
As for why Caro cast Yifei, the director told Entertainment Weekly that it was important for the film’s star to embody all sides of Mulan. “I needed a warrior more than an actress,” she said. “It was really important that the actress we chose was open to building her body to a state where she could pass as a man in a man’s army. I wanted to see the shoulders of a soldier.”