Colman Domingo joins cast of ‘Wicked: For Good’ as voice of Cowardly Lion

Colman Domingo has officially joined the cast of Wicked: For Good, voicing the Cowardly Lion in the upcoming musical film. The casting was revealed on Monday through the official Wicked Instagram account, where Domingo playfully unveiled his role by peeking out from behind a lion stuffed animal and announcing, “See you in Oz!”

Director Jon M. Chu had previously hinted at the casting surprise, teasing fans with a promise of an exciting reveal. “Man, 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 shared.

The Cowardly Lion, a beloved character from the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz, also appears in the Wicked universe, albeit with a new origin story. In the first part of Wicked, Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo) and Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) rescue a caged lion cub from a classroom experiment meant to prevent animals from speaking. The moment becomes a turning point, as Elphaba uses her powers to help free the cub into the forest.

In Wicked: For Good, the sequel to 2024's Wicked, that cub has grown into the Cowardly Lion. He reappears in the overlapping timeline with The Wizard of Oz, joining Dorothy, the Tin Man, and the Scarecrow on the Yellow Brick Road to meet the Wizard, portrayed by Jeff Goldblum. While his role in the film remains relatively small—similar to the Broadway musical—the Cowardly Lion is seen during key sequences, including the number “March of the Witchhunters.”

The film marks the return of Erivo and Ariana Grande as Elphaba Thropp and Glinda Upland, respectively. Other returning cast members include Jonathan Bailey, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Marissa Bode as Nessarose Thropp, Ethan Slater as Boq Woodsman, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, and Bronwyn James as ShenShen.

Wicked: For Good follows the characters through the second act of the musical, exploring the growing divide between Elphaba and Glinda and the lasting impact of their choices on the land of Oz. Universal Pictures will release the film in theaters on November 21.