Disney's live-action Mulan pays homage to the 1998 animated feature in a lot of ways, with the score even incorporating elements of the songs made famous by the original. However, the cast never breaks into song in the Disney+ release, and there's definitely no sign of Mushu.
Voiced by Eddie Murphy, the talking dragon served as a sidekick to Mulan, and comic relief.
His presence was missed in the new version of the story, though a Phoenix did serve as something of a replacement (even if it didn't talk and only showed up a handful of times). In an interview with USA Today, director Niki Caro acknowledged how important Mushu was to the original Mulan, but explained why the character didn't fit in her retelling of the classic tale.
"Mushu, beloved as that character is in the animation, was Mulan’s confidante, and part of bringing it into the live-action is to commit to the realism of her journey, and she had to make those relationships with her fellow soldiers," Caro explains. "So there was certainly a lot to work with in that department."
That's not the most convincing of explanations, but if you've watched Mulan, then you'll surely agree that there wasn't much room for a cartoon dragon to be talking to the warrior throughout her journey.
Click HERE for more Mulan news from CBM!