Once Upon a Time ... When Mulan Was THIS Close to Opening in Cinemas

It wasn't suppose to happen like this. Disney was originally slated to open Mulan in theaters on March 27 -- the film was tracking to have the biggest domestic opening of 2020 -- before the studio postponed it to July 24 and then August 21 before they finally decided to forego a theatrical release entirely in favor of a debut on Disney+ on September 4 due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Back in March, those invited to cover the film's L.A. press junket were allowed to share their reactions on social media to having seen director Niki Caro's loose reimagining of the 1998 animated classic. At the time, we rounded up those generally positive social media reactions to this new Mulan, which you can find below (this article was originally published March 9). Little did anyone realize at the time that these lucky members of the press corps would have an experience -- seeing Mulan on the big screen in a theater full of people -- that many around the world will now probably never have. Let's look back at what the media had to say about Mulan all those ages ago, back in March ... [poilib element="accentDivider"] Members of the press were able to attend early screenings of Disney's remake of Mulan, and first impressions are overly positive. Many claim that while there is a bit changed from 1998's Mulan, it more than makes up for it and may even be the best live-action adaptation of a Disney classic yet. Many claim it doesn't even matter that this one isn't a musical. Mulan has great action scenes, a more mature tone, and is "surprisingly sexy for a Disney movie." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/02/mulan-official-final-trailer"] Here's our roundup of the first social reactions to Mulan ahead of its theatrical release on March 27, 2020. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Fandango's Erik Davis said Mulan is "exciting, vibrant, emotional, and different from the animated version." Geekbomb's Maude Garrett loved the film, saying the "costumes & fighting/stunts were incredible." Insider's Kirsten Acuna thought Mulan was "absolutely fantastic," and that it "doesn't even matter that it's not a musical." Yahoo's Kevin Polowy has seen Mulan twice already and thinks it is "easily Disney's best live action reboot." Mashable's Angie J. Han says Mulan is the best Disney live-action remake since Cinderella. Mashable's Alison Foreman said that even though Mulan "leaves a lot behind," it "offers much more in its absence." Slashfilm's Peter Sciretta was not a huge fan of the original, so he was "very surprised" at home much he liked the remake. The Movie Couple's Wendy Lee Szany praised Mulan's cast and said there are "lots of little moments" that will make fans of the original happy. The Geekly Show's Tessa Smith called Mulan "absolutely magical." [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN who can't wait and is so excited he just can't hide it. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.