‘Wicked: For Good’ Casts Colman Domingo as Cowardly Lion

Colman Domingo Joins the World of Oz

Colman Domingo is officially heading to Oz. The Oscar-nominated actor has joined Wicked: For Good as the voice of the Cowardly Lion, Universal Pictures announced it on the film's official social media platforms. The reveal featured Domingo playfully hiding behind a lion plush before saying, "See you in Oz".

Director Jon M. Chu, who helms the two-part adaptation of the Broadway phenomenon, had teased the surprise earlier, hinting that fans would be thrilled once the mystery casting was revealed.

"Wait until the red carpet when the actor who gave us the Cowardly Lion's voice steps foot on it. It'll be wild," Chu said.

A New Origin for the Cowardly Lion

The Cowardly Lion, one of the most beloved characters from the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz, has a new origin story in Wicked. The film shows him as a young cub rescued by Elapha, played by Cynthia Erivo, and Fiyero, played by Johnathan Bailey, after a professor brings a caged lion to class. When Elapha's powers flare up, the duo frees the lion into a forest, setting the stage for his later journey down the Yellow Brick Road.

In Wicked: For Good, the cub has grown into a full-fledged Cowardly Lion, who now blames Elapha for his fate. The sequel's overlapping timeline with The Wizard of Oz shows him joining Dorothy, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow on their iconic path to meet the Wizard, played by Jeff Goldblum. He's also featured during the musical number, "March of Witchhunters," though, as in the Broadway show, his role remains brief but still memorable.

Returning Cast and Sequel Storyline

The upcoming sequel continues the story from the first Wicked film, exploring how Elapha and Glinda's friendship is tested as they embrace their new destinies as the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good, with the fallout from their choices changing the world of Oz forever. Wicked: For Good promises an emotional and visually grand story continuation.

The returning cast includes Cynthia Erivo as Elapha, Ariana Grande as Glinda, Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Marissa Bode as Nessarose, Ethan Slater as Boq, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, and Browyn James as ShenShen, as shared by the film's official Instagram page.

Universal Pictures will be releasing Wicked: For Good exclusively in theaters on November 21.