Disney’s live-action Mulan will be available to stream on other VOD platforms starting next week. The latest film in Disney’s ongoing live-action craze is a remake of the classic 1998 film centered on a young woman (voiced by Ming-Na Wen) who disguises herself as a man to take her father’s place in the Chinese army. However, Mulan is decidedly different than past remakes because of the amount of changes it made from its source material; this Mulan is rated PG-13, is no longer a musical, and lacks characters such as Mushu and Shang. The changes have been met with mixed responses from fans.
In addition to its many creative alterations, Mulan has been saddled with an unconventional release plan. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Mulan was slated to arrive in theaters back in March. However, it was soon delayed multiple times like most 2020 films. Finally, Disney opted to release Mulan exclusively on Disney+ for $29.99, while it hit theaters in markets where the streaming service isn’t available. It’s hard to say exactly whether Mulan has been a success for Disney, as the studio hasn’t released official figures.
Still, Mulan‘s ready to move beyond Disney+. Starting on Tuesday, October 6, Mulan will be available on a variety of streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime Video, Vudu, and FandangoNOW (per Decider). The film is already available for preorder at the same price as Disney+: $29.99. It remains to be seen if it will also be available to rent.
This will come as happy news for those who wish to watch the new Mulan but aren’t Disney+ subscribers. However, the hefty price tag might still cause them to hesitate, as most PVOD releases are often capped at $19.99. Mulan will be available for free on Disney+ in December, and presumably, it’ll have a rent option available on the other platforms at some point at a much lower cost. Nevertheless, for families who have been without a major source of new entertainment in recent months, Mulan could be just what they need.
It also remains to be seen if Mulan‘s recent controversies will impact its future performance. Disney came under fire after Mulan‘s release when it became apparent that parts of the film were shot in China’s Xinjiang region, which is the site of what is essentially cultural genocide for Uyghur Muslims. United States government officials have even spoken up about the issue. However, even if it does affect Mulan‘s VOD figures, it’s likely it will never be made public, as those numbers are often hard to pin down. Regardless, though, audiences will have the option to stream Mulan through a platform other than Disney+ in a little less than a week.
