‘Wicked: For Good’ Finally Gives Us the Most Accurate Version of The Cowardly Lion

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The new musical Wicked: For Good offers what many believe is the most faithful portrayal of the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz in over a century. This iconic character first appeared in L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and was memorably brought to life by Bert Lahr in the classic 1939 film. Lahr’s performance brilliantly combined humor and heartfelt emotion, making his Cowardly Lion a standout companion on Dorothy’s journey down the Yellow Brick Road. His expressive face and constant tears still make audiences laugh today.

I have to admit, it’s always funny to see the Cowardly Lion, supposedly the king of the jungle, jump at every little thing – shadows, dark trees, you name it. But honestly, I’ve always felt like adaptations of the original Wizard of Oz book haven’t quite nailed his character. Even the classic 1939 film, which most people consider the best movie musical ever made, falls a little short. But Jon M. Chu’s Wicked: Part One? That’s different. It’s quickly become a standout, and it’s not just because of the 10 Oscar nominations and huge box office success – over $758 million worldwide! The way Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba makes her story as an outsider even more powerful, and her performance of “Defying Gravity” is destined to be remembered as one of the greatest moments in movie musical history.

‘Wicked: For Good’ Shows the Cowardly Lion Walking on All Fours Instead of His Hind Legs


Universal Pictures

The Cowardly Lion is known for being talkative, as demonstrated by Jack Lahr’s famous portrayal and many other versions of the story. However, film adaptations often change how the Lion moves. While Lahr’s Lion initially walks on all fours when he meets Dorothy and her friends, he quickly starts walking upright for the rest of the movie, leaving Toto as the only character who consistently walks on four legs. This also happens in the 1978 film, The Wiz, where Ted Ross’s Lion stands and dances on two feet – a fitting choice for a musical full of elaborate numbers. It makes sense that directors and stage managers would have the Lion walk upright; it’s simply easier for the actor portraying the character.

Despite previous adaptations, the new musical Wicked: For Good portrays the Cowardly Lion as L. Frank Baum originally described him in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – walking on all fours. This isn’t entirely unexpected, as audiences briefly met the Lion as a cub in Wicked: Part One. Remember the frightened cub brought into Shiz after Dr. Dillamond was fired? That’s the same lion who grows up and appears in Wicked: For Good, interrupting Elphaba’s song and having a more significant role than in the original story.

The Cowardly Lion Has a Bigger Role in ‘For Good’ Than He Does in the Musical


Universal Pictures

Animals are important in both Wicked movies, just like they are in the original Oz books by L. Frank Baum and the Wicked novels by Gregory Maguire. Viewers expected to see characters like the Cowardly Lion and Dorothy eventually, and while it was known Dorothy’s face wouldn’t be shown, the extent of the Lion’s role wasn’t clear until the trailer for For Good was released. Director Jon M. Chu hinted at a change from the stage musical when he mentioned a well-known actor would be voicing the Lion—a small clue that the Lion’s character would be more developed. In the Wicked musical, the audience only briefly sees the Lion – once in a cage in Act I and then just his tail during the “March of the Witch Hunters” song in Act II. Chu’s announcement promised that the Lion in For Good would actually speak lines, which is a welcome change.

Fans of Wicked were curious about what the Lion would say, and as revealed in For Good, it wasn’t much. Despite this, the Lion manages to interrupt Elphaba’s song, “No Place Like Home,” and convince the animals she’s trying to help that she can’t be trusted. He explains that Elphaba took him from his cage as a cub and released him into the wild, which is why he became a coward. He also reveals that Elphaba’s magic gave Chistery and the other palace monkeys their wings. Because of these actions, the Lion sees Elphaba as just as bad as the Ozian forces who want to take away animals’ rights. Ultimately, the Lion successfully sabotages Elphaba’s efforts to prevent the animals from leaving Oz, and they continue to head towards the secret tunnel under the Yellow Brick Road.

Jon M. Chu Knew Why He Wanted to Cast Colman Domingo as the Cowardly Lion


Netflix

Colman Domingo will play the Cowardly Lion in the upcoming movie, For Good, a reveal he playfully confirmed on Instagram with a lion plush and a message about heading to Oz. Director Chu explained to CBS News that he was looking for an actor with a large heart, a vibrant personality, and a gentle, commanding presence – and Domingo fit the bill perfectly. Chu even reached out to the Oscar nominee directly through Instagram to gauge his interest, and Domingo immediately accepted. He later celebrated at the Wicked: For Good premiere dressed as a fun tribute to his character.

Domingo is the latest in a long line of actors – including Lahr and Ross – who’ve brought the Cowardly Lion to life with humor on screen. While previous films like Return to Oz and Oz the Great and Powerful also showed the Lion walking on all fours, the significant $150 million budget for For Good, combined with advances in technology, allowed filmmakers to create the most realistic and accurate portrayal of the Cowardly Lion audiences have seen in the 125 years since the character’s debut.

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2025-11-23 02:50