Mulan may miss the billions of filmgoers it was targeting pre-Covid. Photo / Still, YouTube
Mulan may miss the billions of filmgoers it was targeting pre-Covid. Photo / Still, YouTube
The story of Mulan – a girl who single-handedly repels a Mongol invasion after taking her father's place in the Chinese army – was a huge hit for Disney in 1998.
However, the Waitaki District Council is more ambivalent towards a potential army of visitors. After being chosen as the filming location for Disney's live-action remake of Mulan, they were aware the film might bring huge numbers of tourists to the Whitestone geopark.
The area is used to visiting film crews. It appears as a backdrop in the Narnia and the Lord of the Rings film franchises. However, early indications showed that the Disney-backed blockbuster had the potential to "blow the Lord of the Rings out of the water".
So said Fergus Power, chief executive of Waitaki District Council.
The film was expecting to be a huge hit, particularly in Chinese markets where the film had been mentioned 5.87 billion times on the social media network Weibo. By January the trailer for the film was shared 2.5 billion times.
"Mulan is more than your average story. It's taught in schools, in China," said Power.
"If you compare that interest to the rest of the world you still end up with the potential of a very high interest in these film locations."
Mountains for Mulan: the Ahuriri Valley is the dramatic backdrop for Disney's epic. Photo / Supplied, Tourism NZ
Aware that the film starring Liu Yifei had the makings of a huge hit, the district council was "aggressive" in pursuing the project and in helping the movie get made, said Power.
"We rolled out the Waitaki green carpet for them."
However, as with any cinematic epic, the story isn't quite as straight forward.
Covid-19 has disrupted both international travel and the film industry. Mulan was originally slated for theatrical release on March 9 this year, three days before the WHO declared coronavirus a pandemic, 10 days before New Zealand closed its borders to inbound tourists.
As cinemas around the world were emptied and New Zealand's borders were closed to holidaymakers, the future of the film and its translation into inbound travel was thrown into uncertainty.
While Disney has said that Mulan will still be getting a theatrical release in China, there is no firm release date. Elsewhere Mulan will be available to watch from next week, online only.
Could Waitaki's roads handle the tourists? The Lindis Pass cuts through the Ahuriri river valley. Photo / File
However Waitaki is still optimistic that this will translate into future visits.
"If anything Covid-19 has provided some breathing space but expectations are that Mulan will bring interest and with that interest will come employment opportunities," said Powers.
The council is still working with the Department of Conservation and central government to create management plans for an increased number of visitors to the delicate natural beauty spot.
The Lindis Lodge is a luxury resort, carved into the remote landscape. Photo / Supplied, Tourism NZ
Margaret Munro, the general manager for Tourism Waitaki, said it's up to the area to look after its unspoiled landscapes, how ever many tourists arrive.
"Like all epic films they wanted landscapes that are void of any materials or power lines, that sort of thing," said Munro.
However if the tourism demand is not properly anticipated or managed, the area risks ruining its appeal for both visitors and future film scouts.
"The Ahuriri Valley hasn't really appeared in many films. Particularly of this size," said Munro.
The Whitestone geopark is currently being evaluated for Unesco world heritage status. With that status comes specific demands on conservation and management.
There are already some tourism ventures in the area, which is popular with hikers and trout fishermen. Places like the spectacular looking Lindis luxury lodge which, on the banks of the Ahuriri, depends on the appeal of the area's pristine remoteness.
However while borders are still closed to international tourists, the attention might at least still inspire New Zealanders to visit.
As we discovered with the Lord of the Rings films, 20 years ago: it can take the spotlight of an international blockbuster for New Zealanders to discover places in their own backyard.
