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The Daily Insight

Is the dragon in the new Mulan?

Author

Sarah Cherry

Updated on February 28, 2026

The new Mulan scrapped Mushu, the cheeky little dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy in the original Disney film. Fans were upset to hear about the removal of the beloved character, but the creator behind the film had her own reasons for leaving him out of the remake.

Herein, is the dragon and cricket in the new Mulan?

Instead of a dragon, a cricket and a love interest, there's a phoenix, a soldier named Cricket and a new connection. There are tweaks to the cast of supporting characters. For starters, Mulan no longer has a guardian dragon named Mushu (voiced by Eddie Murphy in the animated movie) or a cricket sidekick.

Additionally, does the new Mulan movie have a dragon? Why Mulan 2020 doesn't have Mushu – director's three reasons for the change. The talking guardian dragon Mushu isn't in the Disney Mulan remake but there's a few good reasons. “I think we can all appreciate that Mushu is irreplaceable,†director Niki Caro said during the footage reveal.

Additionally, who plays the dragon in Mulan 2020?

Disney made the decision to reimagine the talking dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy for its live-action remake.

Is the Phoenix Mushu in Mulan?

In the animated movie, Mulan was aided by Mushu: a talking dragon that is also the guardian of her ancestors and who was voiced by Eddie Murphy. Although Mushu doesn't appear in the live-action Mulan, the guardian of Mulan's ancestors is still a major part of the film. Instead of a dragon, however, it's a phoenix.

Related Question Answers

Why did they use a phoenix in Mulan?

Mulan accidentally breaks a family statue of a phoenix. In the animated film, Mushu breaks a statue of a stone dragon, which serves as the family's guardian. Mulan's father says the phoenix is the emissary of their ancestors in the new movie.

Why did they take the dragon out of Mulan?

Speaking with USAToday, the film's director, Niki Caro, revealed that the tiny dragon character — who was voiced by Eddie Murphy in the original Disney film — was intentionally left out of the new remake for storytelling purposes.

Why didn't the stone dragon wake up in Mulan?

Additionally, there is a dragon engraved on the sword Mulan uses when she famously slices off her hair, and the handles of the wardrobe where her father keeps his armor are in the shape of dragon heads. Ultimately, this would mean that Mushu couldn't awaken the Great Stone Dragon because it was awake all along.

Is Mulan a Chinese?

Hua Mulan (traditional Chinese: 花木蘭; simplified Chinese: 花木兰) is a legendary folk heroine from the Northern and Southern dynasties era (4th to 6th century AD) of Chinese history. According to legend, Mulan took her aged father's place in the conscription for the army by disguising herself as a man.

What's wrong with the new Mulan?

The short explanation: the film abuses human rights, regurgitates current nationalistic myths, grossly appropriates one of China's most beloved characters, and fails both Eastern and Western viewers alike. The most devastating part of “Mulan,†however, isn't in the film itself—it's in the credits.

Why did they change so much in Mulan?

The team behind the new movie explained the change was down to the #MeToo movement – they felt Mulan's officer becoming her love interest felt a bit off given his position of power. The fan pushback was largely down to the view Li Shang is a bisexual icon as he falls for Mulan before she reveals her true identity.

What's the pig in Moana's name?

Pua the pig

Is there no Mushu in the new Mulan?

But another key difference in the 2020 version is the absence of one beloved character, Mushu. The new Mulan scrapped Mushu, the cheeky little dragon voiced by Eddie Murphy in the original Disney film. “Mushu was very popular in the U.S., but the Chinese hated it,†he explained.

Why did Disney add a witch to Mulan?

The former is vilified for unapologetically being powerful, while Mulan is in the nascent stages of recognizing her own gifts. The Witch's reputation serves as a warning to Mulan about how female power isn't tolerated.

Why is there no singing in Mulan?

During a wide-ranging interview with Collider, Reed touched on the lack of musical numbers in the Mulan remake. The producer said that the creative team made the decision to nix the music at the start of the process when it became clear to them that the remake wasn't going to keep the same style as the original.

Is there a real Mulan?

The short answer is: no, Mulan is not based on a true story. And yet, there's still some impressive lore behind Mulan. Mulan is based on a fictional folk tale originally based in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, long before the 15th-century retelling made popular today. (Think 4th to 6th-century instead.)

What is the red thing in Mulan?

If you didn't already know, these are the immortal words of Mushu, the pint-sized, trash-talking red dragon from Disney's Mulan. Voiced unforgettably by Eddie Murphy, Mushu is among Disney's most beloved animated sidekicks, lodged somewhere lofty in the sidekick pantheon alongside Timon and Pumbaa.

Who does Mulan fall in love with?

Mulan's commanding officer is General Tung and her new love interest is Chen Honghui, a fellow soldier. Her relationship with the general is more akin to one between a mentor and a prodigy, with General Tung encouraging her to cultivate her skills and Mulan almost confessing her secret to him out of guilt.

What is the horse's name in Mulan?

Khan. Khan is Mulan's horse with a black coat and white markings on his face, belly and legs. He is portrayed as a very intelligent and confident horse. When he first saw Mushu, he tried to kill him with his hooves out of fear.

Is the live action Mulan more accurate?

Live action 'Mulan' is visually stunning and historically accurate, but lacks charm and focus. The live-action “Mulan†takes place during the Northern Wei Dynasty in 4th to 6th century AD ,although not all costume or set design is historically accurate to this time period.