This text incorporates spoilers for “Depraved: For Good.”
On October 16, Jon M. Chu, the director of “Depraved: Half One” and its forthcoming second half “Depraved: For Good,” spoke to Deadline concerning the second movie and revealed that he had personally approached a mysterious actor to voice the Cowardly Lion, a “new” character within the upcoming film. Chu acknowledged that he despatched the actor a DM on Instagram and easily … shot his shot. “I used to be like, ‘It is not a ton of strains, however perhaps you’ve just a little time. I do know you are busy. I will come to you,'” Chu revealed earlier than revealing that the actor was on board straight away. (“He was like, ‘Why the f*** not, let’s go!’ After which we went forward and recorded the strains.”)
Not solely that, however Chu additionally teased an huge reveal when the film premieres at first of November in Brazil. “Man, wait till the purple carpet when the actor who gave us the Cowardly Lion’s voice steps foot on it,” the director added, laughing. “It’s going to be wild.”
Anyway, Colman Domingo is voicing the Cowardly Lion. How do I do know that? The official “Depraved” Instagram posted a joint reel that includes Domingo, with the actor hiding behind a stuffed lion’s head after which revealing himself.
Why did the “Depraved” film make this reveal a full month earlier than the film’s vast launch on November 21? I do not know! Appears fairly ridiculous to place this info out into the world after Chu made such a giant deal about it being a stunning secret, however what’s finished is completed. The movie in all probability nonetheless has some surprises up its sleeve, however this thriller, at the least, is out within the open … and for what it is value, Domingo is a nice option to voice the Cowardly Lion.
We briefly noticed the Cowardly Lion in Depraved: Half One
We truly noticed the Cowardly Lion in “Depraved: Half One,” which launched in late 2024 — and alongside Ethan Slater’s Boq Woodsman and Jonathan Bailey’s Winkie prince Fiyero Tigelaar, we will see the Lion from the well-known “Wizard of Oz” trio that accompanies Dorothy Gale on her journey. (The position of Dorothy continues to be a secret as of this writing, and actually, I actually hope Jon M. Chu and his staff do not reveal that little bit of casting earlier than the film releases.) For those who’re unfamiliar with Gregory Maguire’s authentic novel “Depraved” or the Broadway musical that serves because the supply materials for Chu’s movies (the latter of which was penned by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman), that is the place we’ll get into some gentle spoilers, so tread rigorously!
I will not clarify exactly how, however Boq and Fiyero are finally reworked into the Scarecrow and the Tin Man, respectively, however it should not come as an enormous shock that the lion cub that Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo) and Fiyero rescue from an experiment on the magical Shiz College turns into the Cowardly Lion. After Elphaba by chance places a complete classroom to sleep apart from her and Fiyero, they abscond with the cub and free him within the woods earlier than sharing a romantic second. (We’ll see extra sparks between these two unlikely lovers in “Depraved: For Good” due to the show-stopping love music “As Lengthy As You are Mine.”)
Clearly, we’ll meet the grown-up cub in “Depraved: For Good,” however what else can we count on to see from Elphaba and her former finest pal Glinda (performed by Ariana Grande-Butera)? Recall that “Depraved: Half One” ends with Glinda allying herself with Jeff Goldblum’s fraudulent Wizard and Elphaba flying away from the Emerald Metropolis.
What else has Jon M. Chu revealed about Depraved: For Good?
Elsewhere in that Deadline interview, Jon M. Chu opened up about “Depraved: For Good” because it pertains to Elphaba and Glinda. “As soon as I understood how we have been going to really feel about these characters, then I knew what was lacking emotionally for me,” he defined, persevering with:
“I wish to see what Elphaba, now that she’s made her selection to go away the wizard and Oz, how is her life when she’s made this selection? How lonely can that be? What are the questions she requested herself when she thinks perhaps she made a mistake, what would drive her again to the wizard? That is by no means made sense to me, truly. Attempt to make sense of that.”
As for Glinda, she’s now serving to the Wizard’s essential henchwoman/Shiz College professor Madam Morrible (Michelle Yeoh) unfold propaganda about Elphaba. Chu added that she must step away from what she is aware of, probably with Elphaba’s assist. “So, this film needed to be concerning the braveness of somebody popping their very own bubble, a bubble of privilege or their bubble of security,” he added. “So, these issues we actually concentrate on. How can we, even when the women aren’t collectively, how are the choices every of them made affecting the opposite of their journey?”
Elphaba, in the meantime, will stay heart stage after her dramatic exit in “Depraved: Half One.” “We wished to indicate how highly effective she actually was,” Chu continued. “I feel that is the way you present a superhero, particularly these ladies as superheroes, and never have to suit into what a man’s superhero is, the stereotype of all of it. Elphaba’s her personal individual and Glinda might be too.”
We’ll see all of this — and listen to Colman Domingo’s Cowardly Lion — in “Depraved: For Good” on November 21, 2025.
