Steps: The Cinderella Spinoff You Didn’t See Coming — Cast, Release Date, and Plot Details
After years in limbo, Netflix’s Cinderella remix Steps is charging ahead, with Alyce Tzue and Raya and the Last Dragon co-director John Ripa at the helm and the spotlight shifting to the infamous stepsisters.
Netflix dusted off its glass slippers. Steps, the animated Cinderella spinoff that first popped up in 2021 and then simmered on the back burner, is officially moving again. New creative team, fresh angle, and yes, someone gets turned into a frog. I am listening.
What this version is actually doing
Instead of replaying the usual stepsisters-as-villains routine, Steps flips the point of view. The movie centers on Lilith, one of Cinderella's so-called wicked stepsisters, who is not so wicked and definitely having a rough night at the Royal Ball. The setup leans into redemption, sisterhood, and an amphibian mishap that complicates everything.
"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."
Who is making it
The film is now being steered by director Alyce Tzue alongside John Ripa, who co-directed Disney's Raya and the Last Dragon. Tzue has described the stepsisters as intentionally opposite in personality: one closer to the classic fairytale archetype, the other very much not. She is also drawing on her own childhood feelings of being a misfit, which should give this redemption arc some real heart.
Voice cast
Netflix is keeping most roles under wraps for now, but Ali Wong (Beef) and Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once) are locked in as leads. No character assignments yet, just the promise of two ringer performers at the center.
When it arrives
After years of tinkering, Netflix has circled 2026 for the premiere. No exact date yet, just the year.
Quick rundown
- Title: Steps (animated Cinderella spinoff at Netflix)
- Announced: Originally in 2021, with multiple iterations since
- Directors: Alyce Tzue and John Ripa (Raya and the Last Dragon co-director)
- Story focus: Lilith the stepsister, a botched Royal Ball, a frog-ified sister, and a team-up with Cinderella and a dreamy troll to fix the kingdom
- Tone: Redemption, sisterhood, and comedic fantasy chaos
- Leads: Ali Wong and Stephanie Hsu
- Release window: 2026 on Netflix
- Creative note: Tzue says the sisters have sharply contrasting personalities; she is channeling her own misfit years into the film
One odd note
Some chatter out there ties Steps' momentum to the supposed big Netflix success of KPop Demon Hunters, including a limited theatrical run. That claim is... puzzling. Either way, Netflix's animation slate has landed plenty of wins lately, so the platform is clearly invested. Steps looks like the streamer swinging at a familiar tale from a fresher angle. If the movie sticks the landing, the stepsisters might finally get their own happily ever after.