Disney is once again shifting the spotlight to its notorious villains with the developing live-action “Cinderella” spinoff, “Stepsisters.“
According to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter, the film will center on Anastasia and Drizella — the stepsisters who worked overtime to make Cinderella’s early life miserable.
Akiva Schaffer will direct the project, with a screenplay by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand based on an original script by Michael Montemayor. The team previously collaborated on “The Naked Gun” reboot and Disney’s “Chip n’ Dale: Rescue Rangers.”
Who Are Cinderella’s Stepsisters, Anastasia and Drizella?
For decades, Anastasia and Drizella have existed as exaggerated antagonists in Disney’s 1950 animated “Cinderella.” They served as comic relief wrapped in mean-spirited energy alongside their evil mother, Lady Tremaine. The sisters, however, helped define one of Disney’s most recognizable villain dynamics: underscoring social hierarchy and inherited privilege as weapons used against the less fortunate.
On a brighter side, the narrative concluded with Cinderella’s transformation from rags to royalty. It sealed her fate with Prince Charming in a quintessential “happily ever after.”
This new project, however, flips the narrative — placing the sisters at the center and potentially exploring the origins behind their infamous personas. Additionally, the film might even showcase a softer side of the two.
Who Has Played The Stepsisters Role Already
GettyThe stepsisters’ last major on-screen appearance came in Disney’s 2015 live-action “Cinderella.” In that film, Sophie McShera and Holliday Grainger portrayed the pair, opposite Lily James, Cate Blanchett and Richard Madden.
Additionally, in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s 1997 rendition, Veanne Cox and the late Natalie Desselle Reid played the sisters. They appeared opposite Grammy-winner Brandy Norwood, Whitney Houston and Paolo Montalban.
As of publication, casting has not been announced.
“Stepsisters” Expands Disney’s Live-Action Playbook
GettyThe anticipated “Stepsisters” spinoff is the latest example of Disney’s ongoing strategy to revisit and repackage its classic animated stories for modern audiences. Often, these remakes come with a twist.
The studio is currently developing a live-action “Tangled” starring Teagan Croft and Milo Manheim. Meanwhile, Dwayne Johnson is set to lead a live-action “Moana,” scheduled to hit theaters July 10, 2026. Other live-action releases have included “Lilo & Stitch,” “Snow White,” “Mufasa,” starring Blue Ivy Carter and “The Little Mermaid” starring Halle Bailey.
Per Deadline, the studio is also developing a project centered on Gaston from “Beauty and the Beast.”
With the stepsisters now stepping into leading roles, fans of the beloved film will now find out more about the characters who were once widely unfavorable.
