Me Too Too in a Disney Movie

The live remake of Disney's Mulan will be released on March 27, 2020, but some fans aren't happy with how much it will differ from the original animated movie from 1998. The new Mulan movie won't feature beloved characters such as Mushu and Cri-Kee, but the absence of Captain Li Shang is what some fans are most upset about.

Disney fans have taken to Twitter to express their frustration with the lack of Li Shang, and it appears that part of the backlash is due to producer Jason Reed's reasoning behind not including the character.

Reed told Collider: "I think particularly in the time of the #MeToo movement, having a commanding officer that is also the sexual love interest was very uncomfortable and we didn't think it was appropriate."

Instead, the movie has split Li Shang's character in two, with one being Commander Tung, played by Donnie Yen, who acts as Mulan's mentor, and Chen Hongui, played by Yoson An, who is Mulan's equal in the squad.

However, some fans took offense at the idea that the #MeToo movement is the reason behind Li Shang's erasure from the movie.

Twitter user @bangtanimosity argued that: "The Me Too reasoning is so stupid too, it makes the actual victims of the movement look like jokes because Li Shang didn't even do anything wrong!

"His relationship with Mulan doesn't even compare to what ACTUAL, real-life sexual abusers have done to their victims."

The MeToo reasoning is so stupid too, it makes the actual victims of the movement look like jokes because Li Shang didn't even do anything wrong!!

His relationship with Mulan doesn't even compare to what ACTUAL, real life sexual abusers have done to their victims

— caiti ⁷ ⋆ ཻ✯ (@bangtanimosity) February 28, 2020

Twitter user @kalaelizabeth said: "Li Shang's entire f***ing arc is about realizing that Mulan isn't lesser than because she's a woman, he learns and grows because of her, it's almost like... men could f***ing learn from this exact story?"

Twitter user @teoami said: "Bisexual legend Li Shang would NEVER use his position as her commanding officer to pressure her into a relationship. It isn't until after Mulan leaves the Chinese army that Shang pursued her. In this essay, I will..."

Li Shang was referred to as a "bisexual legend" as the character is celebrated within the LGBTQ+ community as a bisexual figure due to his bond with Mulan beginning when she was still disguised as Ping. Some fans are speculating that the real reason Li Shang won't feature in the live remake of Mulan is that he has been perceived as bisexual.

Twitter user @shoe0nhead said: "Li Shang was our bisexual icon and you took him from us."

li shang was our bisexual icon and you took him from us
— shoe (@shoe0nhead) February 28, 2020

@BoredNerdGirl on Twitter, reacting to the #MeToo reason, said: "Lies. They needed to get rid of Disney's Bi Prince. Li Shang started to fall in love with Ping before he knew Ping was really Mulan."

Twitter user @IndieWasHere said: "First they erase my bi king Li Shang's sexuality, then no 'make a man out of you' and now no MUSHI.. keep it! Keep the whole thing!"

However, when speaking to Collider about his inspiration behind playing Chen Hongui, half of Li Shang's character, Yoson An said: "I see this film as a different variation from the animated version and the original story of The Ballad of Mulan.

"I kind of took a different angle from Li Shang's character. I can't really say to a lot of how that will come across but there is a multi-dimensional layer to him and the audience will be able to see that when they watch the movie."

As An mentioned, The Ballad of Mulan is the original story that Disney's Mulan was inspired by. The original story about Hua Mulan was told in a folksong that dates back to as early as 386 AD, and was later transcribed in the 6th century.

Actress Cindy Chu explained this in a tweet and criticized those who disagree with the remake's differences to the 1998 movie: "Disney's live-action film is attempting to honor the [original] version for Western and Eastern (China) audiences. There is no Mushu or Li Shang in the original so please, shut up!"

Tickets for Mulan are on sale now.