Mulan is officially available for streaming after months of delay

Under normal circumstances, Disney would have surely rolled out the red carpet for its new live-action remake of Mulan before showing off the epic blockbuster in theaters. But the coronavirus pandemic has forced the studio to alter its release strategy, alongside hundreds of other films, during an unprecedented summer. 

Once expected to be shown on the big screen, Mulan has now finally arrived on Disney+ after months of delay. The film, directed by Niki Caro and starring Liu Yifei as the titular character, is now available on the small screen for Disney+ subscribers at an additional $29.99 as part of the streaming service’s Premier Access program.

Stream It! Mulan (2020), $29.99 with subscription at disneyplus.com

To watch it, Disney+ members have until Nov. 2 to log into their account and buy the movie. Once purchased, viewers will have access to Mulan on demand for as long as their account is active. Non-subscribers will have to purchase a Disney+ membership (sorry, no free-trial-then-cancel here) and maintain their account in order to watch Mulan. 

There is a silver lining for those unwilling to shell out $30 this weekend, though: Mulan will be added to Disney+’s main library at no additional cost on Dec. 4. Of course, the 1998 animated original is also available now for subscribers to stream. 

While the basic premise of the two movies remains the same, the remake deviates from the original in significant ways — most notable being the lack of songs in the new film. Iconic characters like Li Shang and Mushu are also missing, but the remake adds new roles like Gong Li’s mysterious Xianniang and Jason Scott Lee’s villainous Böri Khan. 

Regardless, the movie will surely draw attraction from Disney lovers as well as those missing blockbusters in a singular (and lackluster) summer movie season.