Broadway Legend Joined: 1/21/20
It's Colman Domingo
Jeffrey Karasarides said: "Jon M. Chu Teases Secret Celebrity Casting for Cowardly Lion in WICKED: FOR GOOD"
Featured Actor Joined: 6/14/11
What a let down. Is he a beloved actor? A great actor, yes.. but what a let down
https://deadline.com/2025/10/colman-domingo-joins-wicked-for-good-cowardly-lion-1236592189/
Chu made it sound like Laurence Olivier was stepping in for this.
Also, why tease it if you’re not gonna let it be a surprise when people see the film? I swear, studio execs must think people want to see the entire film before they actually see the film. What’s the point?
Broadway Star Joined: 10/14/21
Leave it to these boards to be a reliable source of negativity... almost every Wicked movie fan I know is extremely pleased with Domingo's casting.
Broadway Legend Joined: 1/21/20
ElephantLoveMedley said: "Leave it to these boards to be a reliable source of negativity... almost everyWickedmovie fan I know is extremely pleased with Domingo's casting."
Up until an hour or so ago I couldn't imagine seeing anyone hearing Colman Domingo had been cast in a key supporting role in a movie and then saying "well, that's a disappointment".
I truly don't care who plays the Lion (I can't imagine the role will be very big) and I love Colman in all he does. I just think the tease was a bit overdone.
Updated On: 10/20/25 at 01:39 PMStand-by Joined: 3/27/22
This has to be one of the most anti climatic announcements in quite a while. This was hyped up as if it was going to be some A list star.
I had to look him up as I didnt know him by name. If you look at all the fan guessing online its much more starry guesses.
Also they said it wouldn't be revealed until he stepped on the red carpet. I wonder if theyve announced because the speculation had got out of control and they knew there was going to be an air of disappointment
Am I excited for Colman? Yes.
Do I think the hype was necessary? Absolutely not.
I think the recent news of Stephen Colbert being the dean of Starfleet Academy as a V.O. was a more exciting announcement. Colman just seems a natural choice, but not all a "celebrity surprise."
Folks might be reading too deeply into this. There was no major 'tease' campaign from the studio or Jon M. Chu. He simply mentioned celebrity casting for the Lion in a wider-ranging interview, but said he wasn't ready to share the casting yet. Then a couple news outlets picked it up as a story, even though there wasn't one. I don't think anyone was intending a bait and switch here.
Coleman is pretty excellent in everything he does.
TheQuibbler said: "Also, why tease it if you’re not gonna let it be a surprise when people see the film? I swear, studio execs must think people want to see the entire film before they actually see the film. What’s the point?"
even thou we all know what happens I refuse to watch anymore teases or commericals. I mean come on
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/12/09
HBP said: "Folks might be readingtoo deeply into this. There was no major 'tease' campaign from the studio or Jon M. Chu. He simply mentioned celebrity casting for the Lion in a wider-ranging interview, but said he wasn't ready to share the casting yet. Then a couple news outlets picked it up as a story, even though there wasn't one. I don't think anyone was intending a bait and switch here.
Coleman is pretty excellent in everything he does."
That is not the truth...
He teased Deadline, saying, “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.”
TheatreFan4 said: "HBP said: "Folks might be readingtoo deeply into this. There was no major 'tease' campaign from the studio or Jon M. Chu. He simply mentioned celebrity casting for the Lion in a wider-ranging interview, but said he wasn't ready to share the casting yet. Then a couple news outlets picked it up as a story, even though there wasn't one. I don't think anyone was intending a bait and switch here.
Coleman is pretty excellent in everything he does."
That is not the truth...
He teased Deadline, saying, “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.”"
I think that’s more to do with Colman’s style team than anything. I can’t imagine him not turning several looks on the red carpets.
The film likely begins press screenings soon. The studio clearly decided it would be better to announce the news themselves rather than it be leaked from people watching the credits. I suspect they will also name who plays Dorothy soon too. Even if the actor who plays the part isn't seen fully. The person has to be named in the credits.
I think they intended it to be a double entendre: Domingo is known for flamboyant red carpet fashions, so they got people wondering if there would be a surprise cameo on the red carpet by teasing those instead.
But it got out of hand too quick and had to be reined in. I'll be surprised if there aren't a few unannounced theatre or beloved B/C list cameos in the sequel like the cameos in the first film, but "enormous industry superstars" will not be part of that.
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