When “Mulan” opens in theaters later this month, it will make history as the most expensive live-action film ever directed by a female filmmaker. The live-action Disney epic carries a budget of at least $200 million before marketing costs. At the center of that budget is Niki Caro, the New Zealand writer-director best known for Oscar-nominated dramas “Whale Rider” and “North Country.”

Several male directors have had the chance to work with a $200 million budget, but that hasn’t been the case for female filmmakers. Caro tells /Film directing “Mulan” presented several intimidating obstacles, but the budget was never one of them.

More from IndieWireDisney Boss Shuts Down Shareholder Claiming Lgbtq Content Is Hurting the CompanyJohn Oliver Slams Disney Streaming Platform for Censoring 'Last Week Tonight' Disney Jokes

“The intimidating thing was my responsibility to the story, to the studio, and to the audience,” Caro told the outlet. “As far as budget goes,...