Game of Thrones alum Peter Dinklage is set to lend his talents to the highly anticipated feature film adaptation of the Broadway musical Wicked, taking on the role of Dr. Dillamond, a pivotal character in the prequel story.
The revelation came during Universal Studios’ CinemaCon presentation in Las Vegas, where the studio unveiled exclusive footage from the first installment of the two-part Wicked movie. While details of the showcased footage remain under wraps, the studio confirmed that Dinklage will voice the character of Dr. Dillamond, a wise professor of history at Shiz University and a speaking goat who warns the misunderstood Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) of the looming darkness threatening the very fabric of Oz.
Dinklage’s casting continues a curious trend in the acclaimed actor’s recent career choices, with the Wicked movie marking his third major franchise prequel role in the past two years alone. In 2023, he lent his voice to the villainous Scourge in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, and also portrayed Dean Casca Highbottom in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
“Peter Dinklage has been doing many commercial franchise blockbusters recently, and his upcoming role continues this new pattern in his film choices,” the article notes, citing the actor’s penchant for taking on pivotal supporting roles in high-profile prequel projects.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, the Wicked cast also features the dynamic duo of Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda, supported by a talented ensemble that includes Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, and Keala Settle.
Winnie Holzman, who co-wrote the original Broadway musical, has penned the script for the cinematic adaptation, which will be released in two parts. The first installment is slated to hit theaters on November 27, 2024, with the second part following on November 26, 2025.
The reveal of Dinklage’s involvement in the Wicked movies has added further anticipation to the highly anticipated franchise, as fans await to see how the acclaimed actor will bring the character of Dr. Dillamond to life and contribute to the prequel’s exploration of the origins of the Wicked Witch of the West and the Good Witch of the South. With Dinklage’s growing penchant for franchise prequels, his role in Wicked could be a pivotal one, shaping the dark forces that Elphaba and Glinda must confront.
