Colman Domingo to play Cowardly Lion in upcoming Wicked sequel

American actor and playwright Colman Domingo has been cast as the Cowardly Lion in the upcoming film Wicked: For Good, ending a weekend of internet speculation over who would play the role.

The announcement was made by the film’s official Instagram account, which posted a video on Monday of Mr. Domingo surrounded by lion-shaped stuffed animals. The clip ends with him saying, “See you in Oz.” »

Jon M Chu, the director of the highly anticipated sequel to the hit Broadway musical, announced the news on Thursday, saying a major Hollywood star would play the role.

Domingo joins an already star-studded cast that includes Ariana Grande as Glinda and Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba.

The film also stars Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Michelle Yeoh and Jeff Goldblum.

Chu told entertainment outlet Deadline that he approached Domingo for the role of the Cowardly Lion on Instagram.

“I was like, ‘It’s not a ton of lines, but maybe you have some time. I know you’re busy. I’ll come to you,'” Chu said, according to Deadline. Domingo responded, “Why the fuck not. Let’s go,” he recalled.

The Broadway superstar has been nominated twice for an Academy Award and won a Primetime Emmy Award. He was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2024 by Time Magazine.

Buzz has been building around the sequel Wicked: For Good since the first film’s release in November 2024. The first full trailer for the sequel was revealed in June.

The sequel picks up where the first film left off and covers the years following Elphaba and Glinda’s decision to separate.

Elphaba is now an enemy of the State of Oz, while Glinda has become a public figure controlled by the wizard, played by Goldblum.

The film’s trailer also teases the arrival of Dorothy – seen walking down the yellow brick road with her friends – suggesting the character may have a bigger role in the films than in the musical. We still don’t know who could play the character.

The films were adapted from the hit Broadway and West End musical, itself based on Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel.

Both films were filmed simultaneously at Sky Studios Elstree in the UK between December 2022 and January 2024, with production halted mid-way by the Hollywood actors’ strike.

Wicked was the highest-grossing film of 2024 in the UK and earned 10 Academy Award nominations, including two for Best Costume Design and Best Production Design.

The sequel to the film is scheduled to be released almost a year after its predecessor, on November 21.