A royal ball. A lost glass slipper. A magical midnight deadline.
These are staple elements of the Cinderella story that have enchanted fairy tale fans for years. Now, Steps from Netflix Animation Studios is showing audiences Cinderella’s not-so-evil stepsisters in a new light.
The new spin, from directors Alyce Tzue (Student Academy Awards gold medal winner) and John Ripa (co-director of Raya and the Last Dragon), features the voices of Ali Wong (BEEF), Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once), and Amanda Seyfried (Mank) as Cinderella. See photos and learn about this take on Cinderella here.
Bette Midler will bring the Fairy Godmother to life in the animated film. Allow us to grant your wish: See new photos of her character.
“The beloved Fairy Godmother, the wholesome Fairy Godmother — the one with all the good intentions — has been around for a long, long time. This particular version of the Fairy Godmother has good intentions, but she’s a little bit of a bumbler, and she’s a little bit of a schemer,” says Midler. “I’m thrilled to be part of this film! And I’m thrilled to be with this cast!”
Scroll on for everything else to know about Steps.
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Think you know Cinderella’s evil stepsisters? Think again. Tired of living in Cinderella’s shadow, Lilith (Wong) steals the Fairy Godmother’s (Midler) magic wand and hijacks the Royal Ball with her sister, Margot (Hsu). This dooms the kingdom to the tyrannical rule of the villainous Priscilla, who swoops in and snatches the throne. Now, Lilith must team up with Cinderella (Seyfried) to fight biker trolls, outrun evil henchmen, and escape the Screaming Woods. Breaking with the Cinderella story as we know it, they go on an epic quest to save the kingdom — but most importantly, they must save their relationship.
Tzue emphasizes that the tale is mainly one of siblings with contrasting personalities. She tells Netflix, “This story is, at its core, about two very different sisters — one who fits perfectly into this fairy tale kingdom and one who doesn’t — realizing they’re more alike than different. It’s such a personal story for me because, 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. 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.”
The story is largely what drew Ripa to Steps early on. “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,” he says, adding, “It’s like nothing else I’ve worked on in my 30-year career in animation. Steps also has an incredible first-time filmmaker in Alyce Tzue, who brings a totally unique voice and point of view. She’s championed this story about belonging that I’ve found to be both resonant and inspirational, and I feel privileged to be by her side on this journey.”
In addition to Wong, Hsu, and Seyfried lending their voices, and Tzue and Ripa directing the film, Steps is produced by Amy Poehler, Jane Hartwell, and Kim Lessing.
Steps is part of Netflix’s original slate of animated features, which includes the most popular Netflix film ever, KPop Demon Hunters; Academy Award winner Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio; and Academy Award–nominated films Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, Nimona, The Sea Beast, The Mitchells vs. The Machines, Over the Moon, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, and Klaus. Then there’s the BAFTA-nominated Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget and the comedy fan favorites Swapped, Leo, and Back to the Outback.
Steps arrives on Netflix in 2026. Check back with Tudum for future updates.
