--- title: "Disney’s Live-Action “Mulan” Could Flop in China Due to Virus Outbreak" description: "Experts predict that the coronavirus outbreak could cause Disney to lose out on earnings in China for its \"Mulan\" 2020 remake." date: "2020-02-13" modified: "2020-02-21" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/mulan-disney-china-coronavirus-flop" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "china" - "covid-19" - "covid19" - "virus" --- # Disney’s Live-Action “Mulan” Could Flop in China Due to Virus Outbreak ![Experts predict Disney could lose out on substantial earnings in China for its "Mulan" remake due to the recent outbreak of the coronavirus.]() *\Image: Disney/Victor Tangermann\* As the live-action remake of Disney's classic "Mulan" on March 27 draws closer, experts predict the studio could lose out on substantial earnings in China due to the recent outbreak of the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, [*Business Insider* reports](). The outbreak has claimed [over 1,000 deaths]() in China alone and has infected just over 60,000. Needless to say, typical daily life in China has been absolutely disrupted. As [tens of millions]() of Chinese residents are hunkered down at home waiting for the deadly virus outbreak to blow over, cities are starting to resemble [ghost towns](). Workers are staying at home — voluntarily and involuntarily — and the country's economy is facing a major slowdown. A number of industries are feeling the squeeze, from the [auto industry to electronics factories](). [According to the *Hollywood Reporter*](), nearly 70,000 movie theaters have shuttered last month, including some of the country's leading cinema chains, leaving a massive $1 billion dent in ticket sales revenue. Even Disney's theme parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong [closed their doors](). And that leaves Disney's upcoming blockbuster — their first live-action film to feature a Chinese protagonist — in an awkward spot. A release date has yet to be announced, owing to the fact that the Chinese government decides it, not the studios, according to [*CNN*](). "Under normal release circumstances, China could easily be 'Mulan's' biggest market by a fair margin," *Boxoffice.com* chief analyst Shawn Robbins told *CNN*. And that impact won't go away over night. "Of course, there will still be a natural hesitation to avoid public spaces even when the situation is contained, so release dates for the 2020 overall movie slate in China could change dramatically," Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian told *Business Insider*. "The longer this tragic situation continues, the greater the impact will be on all of the studios, their movies, and indeed all of the arts in China," Dergarabedian added. **READ MORE:** [Disney's 'Mulan' remake faces an 'unprecedented' situation at the box office because of the Wuhan coronavirus]() \[*Business Insider*\] **More on the outbreak:** *[China Announces Spike in Deadly Virus Infections, Deaths]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()