The controversy surrounding “Mulan” continues. Not only is the film at the center of the debate regarding the future of the film industry and how studios release films in a post-pandemic world, but the live-action remake of the 1998 animated classic now finds itself, once again, at the center of a debate over democracy and the atrocities alleged to have been committed by the Chinese government. Definitely not the story Disney would like to read today.
The latest controversy started after the release of “Mulan” on Disney+ over the weekend. Many people noticed that the end credits feature a thank you to the “publicity department of CPC Xinjiang Uighur Autonomy Region Committee,” the Chinese Communist Party agency that produces and manages propaganda for that region (via THR). As you might expect, this isn’t something that people were happy to see, especially in light of the growing tensions in China with respect to the fight for democracy.
For those unaware, the region that is thanked by the studio is where there have been reports of over a dozen “re-education camps” that hold Uighurs in extrajudicial detention. While exact numbers are unknown, it’s estimated that the government has held up to a million people in the detention centers in that province.
READ MORE: 2020 Fall Film Preview: 40 Most Anticipated Films To Watch
This is far from the first time that “Mulan” has found itself in the crosshairs of people upset with the film’s supposed politics. Before the film was scheduled to be released in March, there were planned Chinese boycotts of the feature due to the film’s star, Yifei Liu, making comments on social media that were deemed anti-democracy. And with the film’s release over the weekend, those comments came back to light, with many hoping for a large boycott of the film now.
It’s unclear what Disney will say about the end credits shoutout and the current political situation in China. Obviously, this is a tricky situation, as the studio has made a habit of trying to distance itself from any sort of political controversy and there are hundreds of millions of dollars on the line with “Mulan” and its Chinese theatrical debut.
“Mulan” is out now on Disney+ in various regions around the world. The film will debut in Chinese cinemas on September 11.
