The first trailer for Disney’s reborn Mulan reveals the 1998 animated heroine in live-action form.

Synopsis

When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honoured warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father. Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her inner-strength and embrace her true potential. It is an epic journey that will transform her into an honoured warrior and earn her the respect of a grateful nation…and a proud father. “Mulan” features a celebrated international cast that includes: Yifei Liu as Mulan; Donnie Yen as Commander Tung; Jason Scott Lee as Böri Khan; Yoson An as Cheng Honghui; with Gong Li as Xianniang and Jet Li as the Emperor. The film is directed by Niki Caro from a screenplay by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver and Elizabeth Martin & Lauren Hynek based on the narrative poem “The Ballad of Mulan.”

Yes, this movie was supposed to come out last December, but the The Nutcracker and the Four Realms took its place. Mulan is just the latest in Disney’s live-action revivals, which range from projects that are in the casting stages to others that are little more than rumored.

This first look at Mulan shows Liu Yifei as the iconic character, taking up her sword. The live-action remake caused a bit of a stir when Disney revealed it would swap the character of Li Shang for ambitious recruit Chen Hongui. It also added a witch and a little sister to the cast, and pivoted the film away from a musical; instead it’s a martial arts extravaganza. The first trailer emphasizes this plenty of acrobatics and sword-brandishing.

Directed by Niki Caro (Whale Rider) and starring Liu Yifei, Jet Li, and Tzi Ma, Mulan comes out March 27, 2020.