STEPS – 2025 Netflix, Inc.
Five years after its initial announcement, Steps, the new animated movie from Netflix, just got its official first look and two casting announcements. Produced by Amy Poehler, Steps reimagines the “evil” stepsisters in a story of redemption, sisterhood, and accidental amphibians.
Slated for a 2026 release, Steps from Netflix’s internal Netflix Animation Studio takes the classic Cinderella story and shifts the spotlight to the characters history has loved to hate: the stepsisters. But in this musical comedy, they aren’t the villains; they’re just misunderstood. The official synopsis reads:
“Think you know Cinderella’s “evil” stepsisters? Think again! When misunderstood Lilith is blamed for hijacking the Royal Ball with a stolen magic wand, she accidentally turns her sister Margot into a frog and leaves the kingdom in the hands of a prince-obsessed mean girl. Now Lilith must team up with Cinderella (and a surprisingly dreamy troll) to save the kingdom, repair the fractured fairytale, and prove that even so-called villains deserve a shot at happily-ever-after.”
The film was officially unveiled in March 2021 as a musical, but has gone under the radar for the past few years as it progressed through its lengthy production process with numerous changes, bringing it to the result we’ll see next year.
It’s produced by Amy Poehler, Jane Hartwell, and Kim Lessing under Poehler’s Paper Kite Productions. At the time of the initial movie announcement, Poelher said, “We are so excited to be working with Netflix and the great Riki, Kate, and Alyce on this joyful and much-needed story.”
Steps is directed by Alyce Tzue, a Student Academy Award gold medal winner behind the animated short Soar, and John Ripa, known for his work as co-director on Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon.
For Tzue, the project is deeply personal. “This story is, at its core, about two very different sisters—one who fits perfectly into this fairytale kingdom and one who doesn’t—realizing they’re more alike than different,” Tzue said in a statement upon the first look reveal today.
“Growing up as an awkward, artsy Taiwanese kid in suburban New Jersey, I often felt like an outsider, like ‘happily ever after’ wasn’t meant for me,” Tzue added, “I wanted to create a film for everyone who has ever felt like they didn’t belong—and show how a single act of kindness can change everything.”
Co-director John Ripa echoed the sentiment, calling Tzue an “incredible first-time filmmaker” with a unique voice. “When I was introduced to Steps, I saw that it contained incredible artistry, beautiful storytelling, and most of all, that it had something important to say to the world,” Ripa said. “It’s like nothing else I’ve worked on in my 30-year career in animation.”
Who’s in the voice cast for Steps?
Netflix has confirmed a powerhouse duo to voice the leading sisters:
- Ali Wong (Beef, Always Be My Maybe) voices Lilith, the misunderstood sister at the center of the magical mishap.
- Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All At Once) voices Margot, who spends part of the movie distinctively greener than usual.
Stephanie Hsu (left) and Ali Wong (right) – Picture Credit for Hsu: Jessica Shyy – Pictures provided by Netflix
For the most part, the animated slate for 2026 is still being shaped as we speak. So far, we’ve only had confirmation that two Skydance Animation movies are on the slate for next year: Swapped, expected earlier in the year, and Ray Gunn, the new film from Brad Bird, expected in the latter half of the year. Beyond that, Netflix is developing a Mitchells vs. the Machines sequel, films set in the Ghostbusters universe alongside the planned series, a follow-up to Leo and 2025’s breakout megahit KPop Demon Hunters, and a sequel to The Sea Beast. The slate also includes a new project from Chris Williams and additional titles from its Skydance Animation output deal.
We’ll keep you posted on more about Steps as and when we hear more.
