There was a recent outrage about the live-action Mulan spec script. Based on the leaked script, Mulan would not be the main character of her own movie, but rather, a European trader would steal her spotlight. The nameless European trader would arrive in China, fall in love with Mulan, and fight to protect her, as well as defeating the antagonist, the enemy of China, himself.

The possible screenplay was revealed to the public through an essay written by an anonymous writer, Angry Asian Man. After the information was deemed authentic by American actor Joel de la Fuente, the speculation went viral.

The hashtag #MakeMulanRight trended in various social media by the fans of the original Mulan and a petition made by 18MR, an organization dedicated to promoting Asian American and Pacific Islander representation in the United states, is urging Disney to include an Asian-American writer in the script writing process. And after 16,000 signatures, Disney has agreed to make sure the cast are all Chinese and Mulan would be the main character in her story.

The problem here is how the writers of Hollywood in general think it necessary to fix something that doesn’t need to be fixed. Mulan was a movie about an empowered female who challenged gender stereotypes and saved the day without relying on a romantic interest. It was one of the strongest movies in a thematic sense and the infamous script mentioned above would be stripping it all away to replace it with a dull, redundant storyline. It wouldn’t be Mulan. It can be any other movie, but Mulan. Replace Mulan with another Chinese girl and it wouldn’t matter.

“When our stories are never told by and for us, we become mere stereotypes and that harm us. It is a systemic issue in media diversity that requires change. We need meaningful representation on screen, in writing rooms, and in executive leadership,” said Oanh-Nhi Nguyen, Digital campaigner at 18MR

Fortunately, the live action Mulan was returned to the right track and Mulan, who has inspired many, will get the recognition she deserves.

The movie’s release date is November 2, 2018 and will also be coming out in 3D.