First it was Frozen II, coming to Disney’s streaming service months ahead of schedule. Same with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Then Onward’s theatrical release got cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Disney+ got it sooner than expected. Next came Artemis Fowl and Hamilton, films that bypassed the theaters altogether. Now you can add The One and Only Ivan (coming August 21) and Mulan to the list, the latter having been postponed many times already.

While fans are getting excited to see the new live-action version of at home beginning the first weekend in September, many are surprised to learn that it comes with an extra $29.99 price tag. Outside of the states, Mulan will be shown in international theaters that are open.

Up until now, everything that has been offered on Disney+ has been included with the monthly subscription fee and some are worrying that this could become a trend. However, Disney says that the extra surcharge for Mulan will be a one-time-only thing. Of course, this isn’t the first movie to to be made available for home viewing at a premium price, but it is the most expensive one. No announcement has been given on when the film will be made available for free on Disney+.

With movie theaters on the brink of closing for good, this new offering is making many fear that this could be the beginning of the end of the traditional movie theater as we know it. Meanwhile, many drive-in movie theater owners would love to show a first run movie, but few, if any, have been offered since everything shut down. And Disney is definitely taking a gamble hoping that they will actually be able to make money on this thing.

The Premise from the Studio:
Acclaimed filmmaker Niki Caro brings the epic tale of China’s legendary warrior to life in Disney’s Mulan, in which a fearless young woman risks everything out of love for her family and her country to become one of the greatest warriors China has ever known. When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Army to defend the country from Northern invaders, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honored warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father. Masquerading as a man, Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her inner-strength and embrace her true potential. It is an epic journey that will transform her into an honored warrior and earn her the respect of a grateful nation…and a proud father.

The cast of Mulan includes: Yifei Liu as Mulan; Donnie Yen as Commander Tung; Tzi Ma as Zhou, Jason Scott Lee as Böri Khan; Yoson An as Honghui; Ron Yuan as Sergeant Qiang; with Gong Li as Xianniang and Jet Li as the Emperor.

Mulan will begin streaming on September 4, 2020. The movie will become available to all Disney+ subscribers (for no additional costs) on December 4, 2020.