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Emmy-nominated composer Kris Bowers is set to score Netflix’s upcoming animated comedy “Steps.”
The score was recorded in July and Aug. 2026 at London’s Abbey Road Studios.
Slated for release on Nov. 20, “Steps” marks
the first film to be fully animated in-house within Netflix Animation Studios.
Bowers said, “I was excited about the possibility of being on Steps from the very first conversation I had with Alyce Tzue and John Ripa. This story is incredibly written, incredibly acted, and incredibly animated. I feel so many layered emotions when I watch this film, and I’m just hoping that my music can speak to those feelings.”
“When I was a kid, the thing that made me fall in love with film music was when I could listen to the score and almost remember the entire film. And my aim always, especially with a film like Steps, is that someone can listen to the score by itself and remember the entire journey they felt while watching.”
Directed by Alyce Tzue and John Ripa, “Steps” puts a twist on the story of Cinderella’s evil stepsisters. The animated film follows Lilith (Ali Wong), who is blamed for hijacking the Royal Ball with a stolen magic wand. She accidentally turns her sister, Margot (Stephanie Hsu), into a frog and leaves the kingdom in the hands of a prince-obsessed mean girl. Now Lilith must team up with Cinderella (Amanda Seyfried) — 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. Bette Midler rounds out the starry ensemble, voicing the the fairy godmother.
As previously announced, Daniel Radcliffe will voice the royal role in Netflix’s upcoming animated feature, “Steps.“ Also joining the cast are Young Mazino as Gef, “The Heartthrob,” and Peter Dinklage as Roderick, “The Muscle.”
Tzue said, “Kris has been a dream collaborator for us on Steps. He’s not only extremely talented, he’s always open to new ideas. It’s always ‘yes, and,’ and our wonderful score is the result of his generous collaboration and fierce, creative vision.” She added, “Kris has this unique talent of being able to get into the heads and hearts of our characters. When he plays piano, it’s like he draws a string from what he’s feeling through the instrument to his audience. Similarly, when he composes score, he draws a string of emotion from the characters behind the screen, through the screen, to the people watching. It’s raw and unfiltered, and it’s very special.”
Tzue previously shared more details about the film saying, 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 a personal tale for Tzue who added, “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.”
Ripa added, “When we first met Kris, he talked about his process — how when he sits down at the piano to explore the characters and themes, it’s the deep emotions of the characters that drive what comes out. It’s intuitive, honest, and raw. He thinks about music in ways that become essential to each character’s voice. We knew instantly that he was the right composer for ‘Steps.'”
