'Mulan' Remake Boycotts Are Ramping up Again

The live-adaptation of a classic Walt Disney animated movie, Mulan, finally was released after being pushed back months amid the coronavirus pandemic. With it now available to watch via Disney+, the film is now seeing yet another hurdle come its way as many are calling for a boycott of the movie due to controversy surrounding the leading lady.

Liu Yifei, who stars as Mulan, made a comment on Weibo, which is one of the biggest Chinese social media platforms, in which she showed her support for the Hong Kong police. "I support the Hong Kong police," she wrote. "You can all attack me now. What a shame for Hong Kong." This remark occurred in 2019 as the country was in the midst of pro-democracy protests. To this day, the police remain under a heavy microscope, even recently being captured on video tackling a 12-year-old girl to the ground during a protest. With Yifei showing her stance on the issue, many viewers have shown their disinterest in supporting a film where the main star shares those beliefs.

It's unclear what and if any impact has occurred with the boycotts in regards to the success of the launch. Disney tagged the movie with a $30 cost for users.