Donnie Yen cast in Disney's live-action Mulan

Donnie Yen is to star in Disney's live-action 'Mulan' movie.

The 54-year-old actor - who has previously appeared in 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' and the 'Ip Man' franchise - has been cast in the role of Commander Tung, a mentor and teacher to Mulan, Deadline reports.

The much-anticipated Disney remake will see Chinese actress Liu Yifei star in the titular role, with Donnie becoming the first major addition to the cast since that original announcement.

But before the film can head into production, there are a number of key roles that still need to be filled, including the male lead Shang, Mulan's dragon Mushu and the villain Shan-Yu.

Despite his recent appearances in high-profile movies, Donnie previously bemoaned the lack of opportunities for Asian men in Hollywood.

Donnie suggested that movie studios are sometimes reluctant to hire people like himself because they are considered to be "threatening and intimidating".

The Hong Kong actor said: "If you're a minority in this industry, the job opportunities are given to you ratio-wise. That doesn't mean Hollywood is giving Asian men equal opportunities, especially considering China's world status today and the development of other Asian countries too.

"We're influencing the rest of the world. But when you have an industry basically run by white people for decades, it's not going to change overnight. I do see a part that's changing. We see more Asian females, mostly females, because they're less threatening and intimidating."