An animated musical about Cinderella’s stepsisters is currently in the works
We have grown accustomed to being shown the perspective of the heroes of the story. We see how they conquer the obstacles set by the villain. But what if, somehow, we get to see the other side of the coin? What if we get to be transported into the minds of the “bad guys”?
Films like this are not new to us, considering the fact that Disney likes to retell the story of the villain. Movies like Maleficent (2014) and the upcoming Cruella (2021). Fans are particularly not a fan of the former mentioned movie. It is because of how they kind of twisted the tale to the point that it became too far from the original. Let’s hope this isn’t the case with Cruella.
Amy Poehler is currently creating the new musical titled, Steps. It is based on the story we grew up with—the princess with the glass slipper — Cinderella. Poehler has taken the role of the producer as of late since hosting Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live and creating Parks and Recreation. In fact, said works produced by the comedian are the sitcom, Broad City, and the Netflix movie, Moxie.
Riki Lindhome of Garfunkel and Oates will write the script, and Alyce Tzue will direct. Lindhome will also write music for the movie with her comedy partner, Kate Miccucci, and both will be the executive producers.
The synopsis for the animated musical displayed by Netflix reads as follows:
In a spin on the classic Cinderella story, two stepsisters are overlooked for marriage by the Prince and embark on an epic journey, realizing that their own perfect fairytales might be different from what they originally thought.
CBR has stated that Poehler is working on an animated musical for Netflix, giving her take on a classic fairytale from the point of view of the ruthless stepsisters. It somehow reminds us of the hit musical, Wicked, which was based on Gregory Macguire’s bestselling novel, which retold the story of The Wizard of Oz with sympathy for the Wicked Witch of the West.
Poehler stated that she’s “so excited to be working with Netflix and the great Riki, Kate, and Alyce on this joyful and much-needed story.” With these people involved in the animated musical, it will likely have a sense of humor.
The Pixar-esque animated short, Soar — it is the award-winning w0rk of Alyce Tzue, which beautifully captures a whimsical interaction. Of course, this means that her directing may add some heart to the story. Tzue’s statement emphasizes the musical’s contemporary relevance:
Our stepsisters are a pair of young Asian immigrants to a fairytale world, and their journey navigating the pressures of their kingdom to ultimately arrive at their true dream is a story that resonates deep inside my heart. Especially in light of the terrible acts of erasure against the Asian community, I am grateful to be working with this incredible team on a project where I feel so seen. We can’t wait to bring Steps to the world!
As a fan of Cinderella or Disney as a whole myself, I couldn’t be more excited to see their take on these characters — though I particularly love Anastasia. Let’s see where their vision will take us.
