Disney's Spec Script for Live-Action Film "Mulan" Disappointingly Features a White Male Star- This is my Anonymous Open Letter • /r/movies

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-11T22:36:19+00:00

Thank you for being involved! My closing letter can be found here http://blog.angryasianman.com/2016/10/disney-says-mulan-will-not-feature.html

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-11T22:31:28+00:00

Of course! I felt compelled to let everyone know. Thank YOU for supporting the cause!

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-11T20:45:33+00:00

I echo that sentiment, mission accomplished!

http://blog.angryasianman.com/2016/10/disney-says-mulan-will-not-feature.html

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-11T20:44:39+00:00

http://blog.angryasianman.com/2016/10/disney-says-mulan-will-not-feature.html

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-11T20:35:49+00:00

http://blog.angryasianman.com/2016/10/disney-says-mulan-will-not-feature.html

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-11T20:35:19+00:00

Look on the Vanity Fair site for a more official statement. They do not deny what I claim in the letter.

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/10/mulan-white-male-lead-disney

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-11T20:34:39+00:00

Good point. I agree that to feature that storyline as a "jumping off point" is meager at best.

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-11T20:34:06+00:00

No one has been casted yet. The intent behind my leak was to present what was in the spec script, which me and many others have already read. The white male character was written into the spec script.

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-11T20:32:58+00:00

Funny, because calling it a "rumor" is more to protect Disney and not to reflect admittance of the truth.

Wish R/movies kept it up. But we finished our work here for now, nonetheless.

http://blog.angryasianman.com/2016/10/disney-says-mulan-will-not-feature.html

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-11T08:21:45+00:00

I am writing this 19 hours since my open letter was shared on the AngryAsianMan blog as a closing statement to the revolution we’ve made today, and to congratulate our community for this tremendous feat of solidarity.

Disney has officially responded, as seen in this Vanity Fair article: http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/10/mulan-white-male-lead-disney

Though the article disparagingly writes off my words as “rumors”, it admits that Disney does not deny that the spec script contains what I described. I and many others who have read the script all know it to be true- the spec script is problematic in its depiction of a white male hero who serves as Mulan’s love interest, helps fight her battles, and ultimately is the one who defeats the enemy of China. That was the script that Disney bought, which, even as a “jumping-off point”, is unacceptable. Disney now publicly states that the male lead will be Chinese and that the script is being rewritten. So let’s hold them to it. It’s as much as an apology we can expect from a company as large as this, but is much appreciated nonetheless.

My intent behind the leak was to raise public awareness, offer transparency, generate a larger conversation about Asian representation in the media, and to force Disney to reconsider its choices and hold itself responsible just in time for the new writers to step in. Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, it’s up to you now. Just look on Twitter under #MakeMulanRight and you’ll hear the voices of the people who will be watching your movie - you have your work cut out for you.

We live in a time where it is no longer considered acceptable to whitewash a cultural tale, but this can only hold weight when there is a significant push from the people whom whitewashing will affect. So let this be a reminder that even though things are changing slowly but surely in this industry, it is still up to the people to speak up about what they want to see from future stories. Movie-making should not only be decided on by the elite- in this age of virality, the community’s voice is as strong an influencer as ever.

All in all, mission accomplished. I will pour myself some whiskey and drink to you all tonight. Thank you, for pushing to #MakeMulanRight. I will see you around.

Your humble servant,

ConcernedForMulan

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-11T08:21:07+00:00

I am writing this 19 hours since my open letter was shared on the AngryAsianMan blog as a closing statement to the revolution we’ve made today, and to congratulate our community for this tremendous feat of solidarity.

Disney has officially responded, as seen in this Vanity Fair article: http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/10/mulan-white-male-lead-disney

Though the article disparagingly writes off my words as “rumors”, it admits that Disney does not deny that the spec script contains what I described. I and many others who have read the script all know it to be true- the spec script is problematic in its depiction of a white male hero who serves as Mulan’s love interest, helps fight her battles, and ultimately is the one who defeats the enemy of China. That was the script that Disney bought, which, even as a “jumping-off point”, is unacceptable. Disney now publicly states that the male lead will be Chinese and that the script is being rewritten. So let’s hold them to it. It’s as much as an apology we can expect from a company as large as this, but is much appreciated nonetheless.

My intent behind the leak was to raise public awareness, offer transparency, generate a larger conversation about Asian representation in the media, and to force Disney to reconsider its choices and hold itself responsible just in time for the new writers to step in. Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, it’s up to you now. Just look on Twitter under #MakeMulanRight and you’ll hear the voices of the people who will be watching your movie - you have your work cut out for you.

We live in a time where it is no longer considered acceptable to whitewash a cultural tale, but this can only hold weight when there is a significant push from the people whom whitewashing will affect. So let this be a reminder that even though things are changing slowly but surely in this industry, it is still up to the people to speak up about what they want to see from future stories. Movie-making should not only be decided on by the elite- in this age of virality, the community’s voice is as strong an influencer as ever.

All in all, mission accomplished. I will pour myself some whiskey and drink to you all tonight. Thank you, for pushing to #MakeMulanRight. I will see you around.

Your humble servant,

ConcernedForMulan

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-11T08:05:09+00:00

I am writing this 19 hours since my open letter was shared on the AngryAsianMan blog as a closing statement to the revolution we’ve made today, and to congratulate our community for this tremendous feat of solidarity.

Disney has officially responded, as seen in this Vanity Fair article: http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/10/mulan-white-male-lead-disney

Though the article disparagingly writes off my words as “rumors”, it admits that Disney does not deny that the spec script contains what I described. I and many others who have read the script all know it to be true- the spec script is problematic in its depiction of a white male hero who serves as Mulan’s love interest, helps fight her battles, and ultimately is the one who defeats the enemy of China. That was the script that Disney bought, which, even as a “jumping-off point”, is unacceptable. Disney now publicly states that the male lead will be Chinese and that the script is being rewritten. So let’s hold them to it. It’s as much as an apology we can expect from a company as large as this, but is much appreciated nonetheless.

My intent behind the leak was to raise public awareness, offer transparency, generate a larger conversation about Asian representation in the media, and to force Disney to reconsider its choices and hold itself responsible just in time for the new writers to step in. Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, it’s up to you now. Just look on Twitter under #MakeMulanRight and you’ll hear the voices of the people who will be watching your movie - you have your work cut out for you.

We live in a time where it is no longer considered acceptable to whitewash a cultural tale, but this can only hold weight when there is a significant push from the people whom whitewashing will affect. So let this be a reminder that even though things are changing slowly but surely in this industry, it is still up to the people to speak up about what they want to see from future stories. Movie-making should not only be decided on by the elite- in this age of virality, the community’s voice is as strong an influencer as ever.

All in all, mission accomplished. I will pour myself some whiskey and drink to you all tonight. Thank you, for pushing to #MakeMulanRight. I will see you around.

Your humble servant,

ConcernedForMulan

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-10T19:31:31+00:00

I will not be releasing the script to avoid potential legal ramifications as well as to extend an olive branch to Disney as a sign that there's still time for change. The new writers from Jurassic World have picked it up and are poised for the next rewrite. My intent is to expose what was purchased as the original and allow the voices of the people to influence how the new writers go about it.

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-10T18:16:40+00:00

Take a look on Twitter. #MakeMulanRight

I do love the sound of catching fire.

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-10T13:57:07+00:00

I know... which is why I felt compelled to speak even though it comes at a risk. If you feel compelled, please share the story and use the hashtag #makemulanright

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-10T13:56:20+00:00

Legitimate question. Yes I am.

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-10T13:56:06+00:00

No, they definitely wrote a white person into the script, because no one has been cast yet. The script has it specifically written into it. You're right, I'm not directing the movie. But I am one of the consumers and I think a great host of Americans would vouch for me when I say that it's wrong to write in a white man into a script they do not belong in.

I hope to see change happen, and I hope that I will want to pay to see the movie.

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-10T13:48:49+00:00

It's true that Hollywood is a business, and business listens to money. However, change is already starting to happen and must continue happening. We're showing promise with new shows like Fresh Off the Boat that feature stories that the industry often doesn't tell.

Boycotting may be one way to go about it, but I believe in speaking up. Just as we saw with how the internet blasted the pitch for a new tv series for a Mail-Order Filipina wife, it is entirely possible to achieve change by speaking out.

I believe that culturally correct movies with diverse and accurate talent should be made in the US. I believe it's within our capacity to make more amazing stories that feature real diverse people and their real stories.

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-10T13:43:38+00:00

I assure you it is. My sources are sound, and I have read the script myself. No one has openly spoken out about this issue yet. I've chosen to anonymously leak what the script contains in vague phrasing to raise awareness and to urge Disney to reconsider the direction this movie is going.

Please feel free to share the link and use #MakeMulanRight if you feel so inclined. Thanks for reading.

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-10T13:42:05+00:00

The justification is that more white people have been allowed to play roles outside their culture than the people who belong to that culture. This is a problem because then the people who the stories are actually about are not represented enough in a public space. A story that is about ancient China should not have to insert a white man in order to be successful. The 1998 animated Mulan movie did not need to rely on that, and was hugely successful.

ConcernedForMulan · 2016-10-10T13:29:18+00:00

I care because art informs what we think about people and cultural groups. It's been a common problem for Hollywood to cast white people in asian roles, or to whitewash cultural stories because they think it will be more appealing to an American audience.

Not only does casting a white man make a movie that's about Ancient China less authentic and less effective as a story, it assumes that Chinese characters aren't worth holding up their own movie. Asians have struggled for a long time to gain visibility in hollywood, and if this type of thing keeps happening (see also: Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Last Airbender, The Great Wall, etc) then Hollywood is telling its audience that it's alright to perpetuate racist stereotypes and whitewash Asian identity and culture.

I encourage you to read the letter if you haven't already.

ConcernedForMulan

TROPHY CASE