Disney admits Mulan Xinjiang backlash 'generated a lot of issues for us'

Mulan is yet again stirring outrage — and Disney has admitted the latest controversy created plenty of "issues."
Disney Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy spoke this week as the company is blasted for filming some of the live-action remake of Mulan in China's Xinjiang region, where about one million Uighurs have been detained, and for thanking government officials there in the movie's credits, including a bureau sanctioned by the United States.
"Mulan was primarily shot in, almost the entirety, in New Zealand," McCarthy said, CNN reports. "And in an effort to accurately depict some of the unique landscape and geography of the country of China for this historically period piece drama, we filmed scenery in 20 different locations in China."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
McCarthy said it's standard practice to "acknowledge in the film's credits, the national and local governments that allowed you to film there," and so "in our credits, that was recognized." But she admitted that the backlash has ultimately "generated a lot of issues for us."
One particularly scathing column in The Washington Post on Monday accused Disney of helping to "normalize a crime against humanity" with its decision to film in Xinjiang. Activists previously pushed a boycott of Mulan in response to its lead actress voicing support for Hong Kong police during pro-democracy protests.
All of this came ahead of Mulan's theatrical release in China, and on Thursday, Reuters reported that China has barred media coverage of the film following the Xinjiang outcry. Mulan's early box office numbers from China, according to Variety, show it's "off to a soft start."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
How Zohran Mamdani's NYC mayoral run will change the Democratic Party
Talking Points The candidate poses a challenge to the party's 'dinosaur wing'
-
Book reviews: '1861: The Lost Peace' and 'Murderland: Crime and Bloodlust in the Time of Serial Killers'
Feature How America tried to avoid the Civil War and the link between lead pollution and serial killers
-
Brian Wilson: the troubled genius who powered the Beach Boys
Feature The musical giant passed away at 82
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores