Steps: Cinderella Reimagined with Food and Sass

Netflix is preparing to release "Steps," a fractured fairy tale arriving this fall, likely around Thanksgiving. This unique retelling centers on Lilith, one of Cinderella's stepsisters, who reluctantly joins forces with Cinderella to protect their kingdom. The creative team behind the film, including directors John Ripa and Alyce Tzue, presented their vision at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival.

The kingdom of Alouette, inspired by French retellings of Cinderella and set in a pre-Revolutionary era, boasts a rococo design aesthetic. The team emphasized "tactile textures" and "elegant clutter," creating sets and locations primarily from food. Think taffy clocks, sugar crystal jewels, and castle sections that could be sliced and eaten, embodying a literal "eat cake" approach.

"Steps" also deliberately breaks from animated character design norms. Pushing for variety, especially in female characters' faces, the team created distinct shapes like Lilith's martini-glass-like visage, departing from the common "baby alien heads" often seen. This modern approach extends to contemporary dialogue, with characters quips like "Of course she found street parking."

Further departing from tradition, "Steps" will not be a musical, despite early considerations. While needle drops will feature, characters won't burst into song. The film aims for a unique and refreshing narrative, promising that while Cinderella herself may be familiar, everything else is open to creative interpretation, offering a modern and galvanizing fairy tale.