Colman Domingo Joins Wicked: For Good as the Cowardly Lion

It’s official: Colman Domingo will roar into the Land of Oz. The Oscar, Tony, Olivier, and BAFTA nominated performer has been confirmed to voice the Cowardly Lion in Wicked: For Good, the highly anticipated second instalment of Jon M. Chu’s two-part film adaptation of the beloved stage musical, Wicked.

The announcement was made on Instagram, in a playful reveal video featuring Domingo surrounded by the Wicked x Squishmallows collaboration plush of his new character.

In the stage musical, the Cowardly Lion is only briefly mentioned and never appears onstage, but Chu has promised that Wicked: For Good will expand the role, giving fans a fresh look at one of Oz’s most iconic figures. The reveal comes after weeks of speculation, following Chu’s tease that a “major name” would lend their voice to the role.

Wicked: For Good continues the story from the first Wicked film, which soars into cinemas this November. Ariana Grande stars as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba, leading a star-studded cast that also includes Jonathan Bailey (Company, Bridgerton) as Fiyero, Ethan Slater (SpongeBob SquarePants) as Boq, Peter Dinklage as Dr. Dillamond, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, Jeff Goldblum as The Wizard, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose.

Additional cast members include Keala Settle, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Aaron Teoh, and Colin Michael Carmichael, bringing to life new and familiar faces within the world of Shiz University.

Directed by Jon M. Chu (In the Heights), the film features new songs by Stephen Schwartz and a screenplay by Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox. Costume design is by Tony winner Paul Tazewell, whose work promises to bring a cinematic richness to the fantasy world of Oz.

Wicked, which reimagines the story behind The Wizard of Oz, premiered on Broadway in 2003 and remains one of the most beloved musical theatre productions in history. With this new casting, the film’s journey down the yellow brick road just got even more exciting.

Wicked: For Good hits cinemas 21 November 2025. Tickets are on sale now.