4. "Mulan"

Disney had ambitions for the Chinese market when it chose to once again adapt the story of Chinese heroine Mulan into a magnificent live-action movie. Twenty-two years after the release of their animated version in 1998, Disney was angling to smash records, recruiting an all-Asian cast led by Liu Yifei and present China's natural beauty to the world. Unfortunately, just like the previous animated version, this new feature directed by Niki Caro was still unable to appease local audiences, who complained of too large a cultural gap and claimed, "this is not our Mulan." While the film earned 278 million yuan in China, in North America, and other markets, it went straight to Disney+ for premier access release, shaking up protocols in the U.S. film industry. In the end, the break from tradition may have paid off, with some positive audience response and financial results that reportedly pleased Disney executives.