The Cowardly Lion made an appearance in the Wicked: For Good<\/em> trailer<\/a>, but the character\u2019s identity was hinted at in the first film.<\/p>\n Fans were introduced to the Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz<\/em>.<\/a> The character, who was famously portrayed by Bert Lahr<\/strong> in the 1939 classic, meets Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland<\/strong>) as she\u2019s walking down the yellow brick road. Already accompanied by the Scarecrow<\/a> and Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion joins the group as they seek out the Wizard.<\/p>\n Wicked<\/em>, which is based on a book and Broadway show, is essentially a prequel to The Wizard of Oz<\/em> as it tells the backstory of Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West), Glinda (the Good Witch) and others before Dorothy\u2019s arrival in Oz.<\/p>\n Dorothy and her pals make a brief cameo in the first Wicked film. In the trailer for the sequel, which dropped in September 2025, the characters can be seen approaching the Wizard searching for help to get Dorothy back home to Kansas.<\/p>\n Keep scrolling for a breakdown of the Cowardly Lion\u2019s story in Wicked:<\/p>\n Warning: potential spoilers for Wicked: For Good<\/em> down below.<\/strong>\n<\/p>\n When first meeting Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz<\/em>, the Cowardly Lion\u2019s first instinct was to attack. However, after speaking to the group, he confessed that he was fearful and seeking to be courageous. Dorothy invited him along to meet the Wizard.<\/p>\n In the first film, a caged lion cub is introduced to Elphaba and her fellow students. Elphaba stands up for the animal, saying it is cruel to keep him in a cage. When the class is mysteriously put to sleep, with the exception of Elphaba and Fiyero, the pair decide to take the cub to the forest and set him free. That same lion cub goes on to become the Cowardly Lion.<\/p>\n You have successfully subscribed.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n It is implied that the Cowardly Lion\u2019s experience of being locked up in a cage contributed to his fearful nature.<\/p>\n In the Wicked: For Good<\/em> trailer, the Cowardly Lion can be seen as a fully grown lion terrified in the forest. He also appears by Dorothy\u2019s side while they meet the Wizard.<\/p>\nWho Is the Cowardly Lion?<\/h2>\n
\n Jack Haley, Ray Bolger, Judy Garland, Bert Lahr<\/span> Everett Collection<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nHow Was the Cowardly Lion Introduced in the 1st \u2018Wicked\u2019 Movie?<\/h2>\n
Thank You!<\/h3>\n
Why Is the Cowardly Lion So Scared?<\/h2>\n
What Does the Cowardly Lion Do in \u2018Wicked: For Good?\u2019<\/h2>\n
![\"Who](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Who-Is-the-Cowardly-Lion-in-Wicked-For-Good-2.jpg?w=1000&quality=86&strip=all\")
<\/div>Was There More to the Cowardly Lion in the \u2018Wicked\u2019 Books?<\/h2>\n