September 4, 2020 by Tara Faires Hispanic Culture 0 comments

Family Movies in Spanish: Watch Mulan in Spanish!

Hello Mulan fans! In this article we’ll explore how you can enjoy the new release of Mulan in Spanish.

This anticipated live-action remake will premiere on September 4th, 2020. Instead of debuting in theaters, Mulan will premiere on Disney+ to avoid any legal restraints during coronavirus.

So, how will you be able see it?

You will need to have Premier Access to Disney+ watch the movie, which costs an additional $29 to your existing membership.

If you’d rather wait it out without burning a hole in your wallet, Mulan will be available under the general Disney+ plan on December 4th, 2020. That’s just a 3-month wait!

Above all, we’re excited to share with you the fact that the online version will be released in multiple languages. And yes—this means you can watch Mulan in Spanish!

Why You’ll Love the Movie

You’re going to love the new remake because it will show 5th/6th century China and will bring Hua Mulan’s story to life. It will seem real and leave audiences in awe of her bravery by stepping in to help her family.

If you’re learning Spanish, don’t spend your precious time watching movies in English, challenge yourself with the Mulan in Spanish version.

In today’s blog post, let’s learn about the Mulan folktale, the movie remake, and why it is worth watching in Spanish!

The Thrill of Live-Action

Most noteworthy is that this Walt Disney Pictures film is the first live-action remake of the animated/cartoon version that was released in 1998. This live version was filmed in beautiful New Zealand and China. Unlike the 1998 version that was rated G, this updated version will be rated PG-13 since it is a more realistic portrayal of the legend and includes violence.

Benefits to Screen Time in Spanish

Endless benefits result from watching tv and movies in Spanish, such as hearing the rhythm and sounds of the way Spanish is spoken, picking up some slang, and having an opportunity to enjoy real Spanish – since the movie script is made for native-speakers, not language-learners.

In our blog post Learning Spanish by Watching TV, we outlined three features that tv and movies provide to supply you with important benefits to your language learning journey. What are they?

Spanish audio with English subtitles: By combining audio in a new language with written words in your native language, it will train your ear to the sound of Spanish, while you understand better what you’re hearing.
Spanish audio with Spanish subtitles: If your reading comprehension is pretty solid, you will benefit greatly from this combination. You’ll hear and read Spanish simultaneously. Therefore, you’ll start connecting spoken words to written words!
English audio with Spanish subtitles: The least potent of all the benefits, you will still gain comprehension by reading a foreign language and boost Spanish literacy skills.

How to Practice Fluency with Mulan in Spanish

Want to know a useful tip? Watching the movie in your native language first gives you a chance to fully grasp the context. Next, watch the movie in Spanish to see how much more you pick up and understand.

Watching Mulan in Spanish is a fun and entertaining way to work on your language skills and as outlined above, there are so many benefits.

Have you heard yet that Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world? It’s true! And, in order to entertain this audience, movies developed in English-speaking countries (such as the United States) are also re-created in Spanish to serve the over 400 million Spanish-speakers. Plus YOU, the language-learner!

The Story of Mulan

Did you know that most Westerners learned about the story of Mulan through the original 1998 movie, however this story is commonly known in China? Hua Mulan is one of the most famous women of ancient China and her story is still told today across schools in China.

The Folkloric Origin of Mulan’s Plot

In the same fashion as the 90’s version, the movie is based on the Chinese folklore “The Ballad of Mulan.” This poem was written in 5^th or 6^th century CE at a time when there was conflict between northern and southern China.

The premise of the movie is that the Emperor of China issues a ruling that one man per family must enlist in the Imperial Army to defend the country against Northern invaders.

The eldest father of the Mulan family is frail and unable to serve. Therefore, his daughter Hua Mulan, steps in to take his place as a warrior. In Chinese “Huā” means flower and “Mùlán” means magnolia. The magnolia flower is a symbol of ancient, signifying nobility and dignity.

In order to do this, she must become a true warrior—including disguising herself as a man and changing her name to Hua Jun. She is tested in every way amongst the strongest warriors in the region.

Essentially, the movie highlights how Hua discovers her true potential by finding her innermost strength.

Will Mushu the Dragon Return?

Arguably, the most beloved character from the original movie version is Mushu the dragon. Unfortunately, he does not make a reappearance in the remake! As with most movie remakes, both favorable and unfavorable changes interact to create a new experience for fans. It’s likely that young audiences will miss the wisecracking dragon who was played by actor Eddie Murphy. Perhaps Disney decided to ditch the dragon because this is a live-action remake and they want the movie to be realistic. Or perhaps, the new version is going to be based more closely to the original Chinese folklore which did not include the fantasy element of Mushu.

Disney Latin America

Did you know that Disney has a division servicing its Latin American audience? Walt Disney Company Latin America is one of Disney’s many international divisions. Its main office is located in Argentina, with other branches located in Brazil, Mexico, and the United States (Miami).

The Spanish-speaking audience is a large part of the Disney market. For example, in 2019, the Lion King remake racked up the following numbers:

United States ~$544M in gross sales, 33% of worldwide sales
Latin America and Spain ~$206M in gross sales, or $12% of worldwide sales.

Spanish-speaking countries enjoy Disney movies and Spanish-speakers/learners enjoy working at Disney.

Bilingual Internships at Disney

Disney seems like a great place to try and obtain an internship where you can speak both Spanish and English during the day. There are many Programs available, like Disney College Program, Disney International Programs, Disney Culinary Programs and Disney Professional Internships.

According to Disney Intern Marco, who minored in Spanish, he gets to “combine communications and Spanish on a day-to-day basis. (He is) consistently communicating throughout (the) day with many guests and leaders throughout property. Because I’m fluent in Spanish, I can communicate with Spanish-speaking guests.”

Learn Words Related to Mulan in Spanish

Discover your inner warrior and learn these Mulan-related Spanish words before watching the movie in Spanish.

Mulan Words In Spanish
English	Spanish
China	La China
Folklore	El folklor
Ballad	La balada
Historical	Histórico
Emperor	El emperador
Warrior	El guerrero
Invade	Invadir
Defend	Defender
Fearless	Valiente
Strength	La fuerza

Be Brave and Learn Spanish!

To sum it up, the live-action version of Mulan is highly anticipated, and we hope you get to enjoy it in Spanish! Find out what your Spanish teacher thought of the movie by signing up for a free class today.

earn school credit spanish classes online for kids — Sign up for a free trial Spanish class today!

Want more free Spanish resources? Check out these posts!

Author
Recent Posts

Tara Faires

Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy

I began studying Spanish at age 11 and have been interested in language and culture ever since! While at university, I studied abroad in Spain and Costa Rica and got a B.A. in Environmental Economics with a minor in Spanish. After spending over a decade in corporate America, I now enjoy the simpler things in life. ¡Pura Vida!