Recently, Disney has green lit a live-action retelling of Mulan. Maleficent kicked off the parade of live-action Disney remakes. Cinderella is currently in theaters and Pan, Beauty and the Beast and Tarzan are already cast with Pan premiering this summer. Mulan has the potential to be a win for diversity as long as Disney doesn’t whitewash the casting.

For over ten years there has been an attempt to remake the Japanese anime classic Akira. Actors such as Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Helena Bonham Carter and Dane DeHann were considered for parts in the movie. While all these actors are qualified, they are not what a movie like Akira or Mulan needs. Many objected to these decisions and progress on Akira has been virtually non-existent. On the other hand, Netflix recently released an original series, Marco Polo. Set in Mongol China during the reign of Kublai Khan, the series was something different. It is possible to make a film or TV show with predominantly minority cast and still be successful. This can serve as a lesson, Disney should aim to cast Asian actors for roles in the movie. When it comes to minority casting there is a gross under-representation and while there has been a slight move in the direction of diversity (Annie, Marco Polo, Fresh off the Boat, etc.) there is still much more to be done. There are many Asian actors (both in America and overseas) who would be perfect for roles in the upcoming movie. Potential choices could be Benedict Wong, Ming-Na Wen, Constance Wu, Godfrey Gao, Zhu Zhu, Ken Watanbe, Danial Dae Kim, Remy Hii, Olivia Chen… they have many choices. And even though some of these actors are not very well known, Mulan can act as a catalyst. This is a big moment for Disney and the entertainment business. It’s a chance for some real movie magic.