Netflix Animation’s upcoming film, Steps, offers a fresh perspective on the Cinderella narrative by centering the story on the princess’s misunderstood stepsister, Lilith. Co-directed by Alyce Tzue and John Ripa, the movie draws inspiration from various historical versions of the fairy tale and updates it for a contemporary audience. "There really is no one Cinderella story," Ripa stated in an interview at the Annecy Festival. "A Chinese version introduced the stepmother, and the Italian version introduced the stepsisters." Steps aims to synthesize these elements, presenting a modern interpretation that "brings all that history together and gives it a modern update."
A New Protagonist's Journey
The film follows Lilith (voiced by Ali Wong) as she attempts to acquire magic of her own after witnessing the Fairy Godmother (Bette Midler) assist Cinderella (Amanda Seyfried). Her efforts inadvertently transform her sister Margot (Stephanie Hsu) into a frog, triggering a series of chaotic events across the kingdom. This narrative choice, shifting focus to the traditional villain, resonates personally with Tzue. "She comes into this fairytale world of hope with lofty dreams of being able to live harmoniously with everyone," Tzue explained. "The sense of being initially rejected deeply resonates with me. Lilith is braver than I ever was. She has this rebellious attitude, but, of course, you find that spiky exterior is just a defense mechanism."
Lilith and Cinderella must then join forces to reverse the spell and thwart the plans of Priscilla (Nikki Glaser), a character driven by insecurity who seeks to usurp control of the kingdom. "Priscilla is someone who wishes she was like Cinderella," Tzue noted. "In a kingdom that elevates just one sort of symbol of perfection, that can create someone like Lilith, who’s the outcast, and someone like Priscilla, who is driven by the sense of insecurity to kind of be evil."
Visuals and Themes of Inclusion
The visual style of Steps is influenced by the French Rococo movement and the French adaptation of Cinderella, Cendrillon. A pastel color palette initially signifies conformity within the kingdom, but the film introduces bolder, more natural colors as Cinderella and Lilith venture beyond its borders. Addressing the traditional portrayal of stepsisters as unattractive, the filmmakers intentionally sought diversity in character design. "We want to lean into a diversity of design in the female characters to make sure they don’t all have the same face shape or the same body shape," Tzue said. "We’ve been very conscious to make sure that the designs reflect the diversity of their personalities."
This emphasis on diverse representation and sisterhood aligns with the co-directors' broader ambitions. Ripa, who previously worked as a story artist on Frozen, sees parallels in the focus on familial bonds over romance. "I'm a huge fan of Frozen," Tzue added. "I wouldn't say it's a direct inspiration, because my hope is that there can be as many movies as we'd like about female friendships. If there are comparisons, it may just mean that we need even more stories about sisterhood."
Steps is also set to feature a rich soundtrack, blending original songs with contemporary needle drops to give the film a modern feel. While acknowledging the success of Netflix's Kpop Demon Hunters, Tzue stated that Steps is not designed to emulate it, emphasizing authenticity to its own story. "We are huge supporters of the creators of Kpop Demon Hunters," Tzue said. "I feel personally very supported by Netflix as a filmmaker working on their own project. I don’t feel pressured to be a Kpop Demon Hunters because it wouldn’t serve the story."
Ultimately, Ripa and Tzue hope Steps will resonate with audiences through its themes of empathy, inclusion, and belonging. "If we can inspire even one person to stand up for someone that feels different, we will have done our jobs," Tzue concluded.
Steps is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on November 20.