Mulan is set to debut on Disney Plus Friday, September 4th! Haven’t heard the details yet? The movie will be available for subscribers via a new offering on the service called Premier Access – a “pay per view” type model that grants the ability to view the film at home for $30. The latest addition to Disney’s slew of live-action adaptations, Mulan was initially slated for release in March before theater closures delayed it. Early reviews on the film have been exceptionally positive, so there’s plenty of reason to be excited!     

 

#Mulan is exciting, vibrant, emotional, and different from the animated version. It's definitely its own thing, which I dug – a more mature Disney film, featuring stunning production design & fight choreography. Director Niki Caro & star Liu Yifei are the big stand-outs, imo pic.twitter.com/p6IEQUDNBu

— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) March 10, 2020

 

I’m very surprised at how much I liked the live action #Mulan movie. It’s so majestic, the action is thrilling, it aims for a level of sophistication and beauty you don’t expect.

(I was never a huge fan of the animated film, I think I’ve only seen it once. So no attachments)

— Peter Sciretta loves Star Wars (@PeterSciretta) March 10, 2020

With a chance to view the flick starring Yifei Liu just a few days away, now is the perfect time to start planning your ultimate Mulan watch party. What better way to celebrate the film’s much-anticipated arrival than to add a few extra special touches to your evening? We’ve laid out every step in your Mulan themed night below!  

The Attire

Mulan’s battle-ready gear is fabulous, but not the most practical for a movie night. Opt for Disneybound themed attire – your crew can each take on a unique character, or even sport a different style look of the leading lady’s! Many outfits can be pulled together from pieces already in your closet. We’ve curated a Pinterest board that’s chock full of inspiration for your outfits. A runway pose off competition (a la America’s Next Top Model) makes for a fun way to kick off the evening digitally or in person!

The Music

Start off the night with Christina Aguilera’s new single for the movie, “Loyal Brave True” – bonus points if your group can already sing along to the tune!

Since the 2020 update axes the musical numbers we know and love, a listen to the animated film’s original soundtrack is in order. Keep the festivities rolling with all the hits and get ready for a rousing rendition of “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” that should get your neighbors properly intrigued as to what you’re up to.

 

The Decor

Set the mood with a few simple pieces that will transport your living room straight into the movie. We love the idea of adding lantern string lights around your television! String up lights are particularly fun because they can stay on during the entire viewing party! We finished off our decor with paper lanterns hung from the ceiling and a few hand fans strewn on the coffee table. Every guy and gal at the party will love the chance to show off their fan batting skills! All of these decorating items are wallet friendly and available on Amazon.

The Food

Dumplings pop up all over the film! They make a fabulous movie snack and fit the evening’s theme perfectly. You can either order yours or follow the recipe below to whip up Mushu’s Dragon Dumplings! We paired our dumplings with a refreshing cucumber salad and some of our favorite crave worthy movie popcorn!

Mushu’s Dragon Dumplings

Ingredients

DUMPLINGS:

• 1/2 cup chopped garlic chives or chives

•  One 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced 

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine (Shaoxing)

• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons light sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

•  Kosher salt

• 1 pound fatty ground pork, preferably from the shoulder

•  28 gyoza wrappers (3 1/2 inch round)

•  Napa cabbage leaves, for steaming

DIPPING SAUCE:

• 3/4 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth

•  1/4 cup Chinese black vinegar 

• 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar

•  One 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and julienned

How to Make It

• Step 1   Make the dumplings In a food processor, pulse the chives, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice wine, brown sugar, both sesame oils and 1 teaspoon of salt until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl; mix in the pork.

• Step 2   Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filling into the center of 1 gyoza wrapper and, using your finger, moisten half of the edge with water. Fold the dough up and over the filling to form a half-moon and pinch to seal the dumpling completely. Moisten the top of one end with water, bring the other end over and pinch to bring together and create a rosebud shape. Place the dumpling on the parchment-lined baking sheet and keep covered with a clean kitchen towel while you assemble the rest. Repeat the process with the remaining filling and wrappers.

• Step 3   Line 2 large steamer baskets with cabbage leaves and set the dumplings on the cabbage. Set the basket in a pot of boiling water and steam until the wrappers turn transparent and the filling is firm, 8 to 10 minutes.

• Step 4   Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce In a small saucepan, simmer the stock over moderately high heat until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Whisk 
in both vinegars and the ginger. Serve the warm dipping sauce with the dumplings.

Make Ahead

The uncooked dumplings can be frozen on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet, then transferred to a resealable plastic bag and frozen for up to 1 month.

The Drink

A good cocktail is a must to round out any watch party! We took a slight variant on a classic drink to dream up Cri-Kee’s Lucky Sling. Enjoy sipping these back during the film.

Cri-Kee’s Lucky Sling

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 ounces gin (or vodka)

• 1⁄2 ounce cherry heering

• 1⁄4 ounce Cointreau liqueur

• 1⁄4 ounce benedictine

• 4 ounces pineapple juice

• 1⁄2 ounce lime juice

• 1⁄3 ounce grenadine

• 1 dash bitters

How to Make It:

• Shake with ice. Strain into an ice filled collins glass. Garnish with cherry, slice of pineapple and a red umbrella.

Get Ready For the Big Show!

All that’s left now is to fire up Disney+, kick back, and enjoy! Are you planning to catch the movie on the streaming service? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to tag us in your watch party photos @perfectingthemagic. Now it’s time to defeat the huns!