Why 'Wicked' Fans Are Worried Dr. Dillamond Will Be Cut From Movie

Wicked faithfuls know that Dr. Dillamond plays a pivotal role in Elphaba and Glinda’s journeys, but it is unknown whether the character will appear in the movie musical.

The Wicked cast, led by stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, posed for a group Vanity Fair portrait, which was published on Thursday, March 21. Erivo, 37, and Grande, 30, donned their respective costumes for their characters Elphaba and Galinda/Glinda. They were joined by Jonathan Bailey (Fiyero), Ethan Slater (Boq), Jeff Goldblum (The Wizard), Michelle Yeoh (Madame Morrible), Marissa Bode (Nessarose), Bowen Yang (Pfannee) and Bronwyn James (ShenShen).

The photo marked the first time that the entire cast publicly posed together in the costumes, but eagle-eyed theater fans noticed that one important member of the Shiz University faculty was absent.

“No glam photoshoot of Dr. Dillamond?” one fan wrote via X, as another added, “Why do we still not know who’s playing Dr. Dillamond?”

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Other social media users speculated that keeping Dillamond out of the cast pic could set up a dramatic reveal later.

“The Dr. Dillamond reveal is going to be either amazing or J*mes C*rden,” an X user theorized, censoring the name of Tony-winning actor James Corden.

Others posited that Idina Menzel, the OG Elphaba on Broadway, could play the role in what would be the first gender-bent version of the character.

Wicked, a two-part film adaptation helmed by director Jon M. Chu, has not further addressed whether Dillamond will be in the movie or who will play him. According to IMDb, Alfredo Tavares is credited as an unknown teacher while Keala Settle will play new character Miss Coddle, but it’s unknown whether either will replace Dillamond.

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The movie musical was inspired by Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and the stage show of the same name. Both iterations are prequels starring the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch long before The Wizard of Oz’s Dorothy Gale dropped into town. The two witches are matched as roommates during their first semester at the magical Shiz University.

Dillamond, who is a talking goat, is one of their professors and notably cannot pronounce “Galinda” properly. He notably shortens it to “Glinda,” which Grande’s character will formally adopt later on.

While it is not yet known how Shiz University will be brought to life on the big screen, Chu, 44, knew he had big shoes to fill.

“I was like, ‘I want to do it the way I dreamed about it as a kid when I watched Hook,’” Chu told Vanity Fair in Thursday’s profile, denying the use of CGI effects. “Behind the scenes, Steven Spielberg was on a dock with a giant pirate ship. I’m like, ‘If this is my one opportunity to do this, I want to do that.’”

The first Wicked movie premieres November 27, one year before part 2 will be released in theaters.