Get Down to Business with the Stirring First Teaser for Disney’s Live-Action Mulan

Disney has shared the first teaser trailer for their live-action reimagining of 1998 animated adventure Mulan, which appears to eschew the original film’s comedic and musical elements (meaning Mushu is M.I.A.) in favor of a more resplendent, adult-oriented epic. The teaser debuted during Sunday’s FIFA Women’s World Cup final.

The new film’s official synopsis reads:

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 honored 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 honored warrior and earn her the respect of a grateful nation … and a proud father.

The teaser introduces us to the arc of Liu Yifei’s (aka Crystal Liu) heroic title character, who is expected to honor her family by becoming a wife, but will instead go on to realize her destiny of becoming a brave warrior—“It is my duty to fight,” she declares. Along the way, Mulan will encounter Donnie Yen’s Commander Tung, Jason Scott Lee’s Böri Khan, Yoson An’s Cheng Honghui, Gong Li’s powerful witch Xianniang and Jet Li’s Emperor of China, among others.

It’s been nearly a year since Disney announced the start of production on Mulan and shared a first look at Yifei’s portrayal of its protagonist. Niki Caro (The Zookeeper’s Wife) signed on to direct in February 2017, becoming just the fourth-ever woman to direct a $100-million film, following in the footsteps of Kathryn Bigelow, Patty Jenkins and Ava DuVernay. Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver and Elizabeth Martin & Lauren Hynek scripted the film based on sixth-century Chinese narrative poem “The Ballad of Mulan.”

See Mulan’s first teaser and poster below. The film comes to theaters on March 27, 2020.