A Live-Action Mulan Fan Cast

A Live-Action Mulan Fan Cast

March 31, 2015 1 By EVA

Following the success of the recently released Cinderella, Disney has added another live-action remake to their growing list that includes Beauty and the Beast and The Jungle Book. This time it’s the iconic tale of Mulan that’s getting the live action treatment, as The Hollywood Reporter reports that Disney bought a script by writing team Elizabeth Martin and Lauren Hynek. Since the project is only in-development, no casting will be announced for some time, so instead I decided to do some wishful thinking and create my own Mulan fan cast. Here are my picks for just about the entire cast of Mulan – with the exception of Mushu who I can’t picture as anyone but Eddie Murphy.

Mulan

mulan fan cast

Whenever I’ve imagined a live-action Mulan, I’ve always always pictured Ziyi Zhang in one of her beautiful costumes from Memoirs of a Geisha. Alternatively, Li Bingbing is another good candidate.

Li Shang

shang mulan fan cast

Yes I have three choices for Shang. No, I couldn’t decide. Don’t judge me. Johnny Nguyen (a popular stunt actor/coordinator), Byung Hung Lee (G.I. Joe) and Godfrey Gao (The Mortal Instruments) all stand on equal ground for this role in my opinion.

Fa Li

mulan mother cast

It would perfection to see Ming-Na Wen – the original voice of Mulan – return as Mulan’s mother Fa Li. Elizabeth Sung (Memoirs of a Geisha) and Takayo Fischer (Pirates of the Caribbean, Memoirs of a Geisha) would make equally good motherly characters, but Ming-Na is still my top choice.

Fa Zhou

mulan father cast

Depending on who would play Mulan, Daniel Dae Kim could seem too young for the part, but I still think he’d be an interesting choice for Mulan’s father Fa Zhou. Koji Yakusho would be pretty perfect too.

Grandmother Fa

grandmother fa cast

For the incredibly sassy Grandmother Fa, I chose both Tsai Chin – who just so happened to play Agent May’s mother in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – and Lucille Soong, who currently appears as the grandmother on Fresh Off the Boat.

Ling

ling cast

I could see either James Kyson (Heroes) or Chris Pang (I, Frankenstein) as Ling.

Chien-Po

chien po cast

Former sumo wrestler and Hawaii Five-O actor Teila Tuli (aka Taylor Wily) is my top choice for Chien-Po.

Yao

yao cast

Yun-Fat Chow (Pirates of the Caribbean) as Yao – I didn’t need any other choices, he just seemed perfect.

Shan Yu

shan yu cast

The only thing I love more than Ken Watanabe is Ken Watanabe playing a villain, and seeing him as Shan Yu, leader of the Huns, would be amazing. Hiroyuki Sanada (The Wolverine) is tied for first on my list for this villain as well.

The Matchmaker

matchmaker cast

There is nothing I want more than Margaret Cho as the Matchmaker. You need a comedian in this role and I think she’d be hilarious. Hawaiian actress Loretta Ables (Hawaii Five-O) is also on my list, partially because she can do the perfect “quietly judging you” face.

The Emperor of China

emperor cast

My top choice for the Emperor of China would have to be Togo Igawa (47 Ronin, Memoirs of a Geisha).

Chi-Fu

advisor cast

Andy Lau (Firestorm) or Will Yun Lee (The Wolverine) as Chi-Fu, Shang’s advisor and a member of the Emperor’s council.

General Li

general li cast

Ahn Sung-Ki (Sector 7) and Kenneth Tsang (Rush Hour 2) are my top two choices for General Li, Shang’s father.

Fa Ancestors

fa ancestors cast

I’d like to see James Hong, Jackie Chan and George Takei all appear as the Fa Ancestors. I think it’d be hilarious to see some of the most infamous Asian actors bickering amongst themselves about petty family issues. It wouldn’t be that far of a stretch either – Takei actually did voice the main ancestor in the 1998 animated film while James Hong voiced Chi-Fu.