| For other versions of the Cowardly Lion, see Cowardly Lion. |
The Cowardly Lion in Walt Disney Pictures' 1985 film Return to Oz, was much more faithful to the Oz books. Unlike Bert Lahr’s classic humanoid interpretation, the Cowardly Lion in Return to Oz actually walks on all fours. But even though this more recent rendition of the character is decidedly less anthropomorphic than its predecessor, care was taken to avoid too much realism. In fact, the first prototype costume of the Cowardly Lion possessed a greater similarity to its jungle-prowling inspiration than the director Walter Murch cared to see.
History[]
After Dorothy left Oz and returned home to Kansas, the Cowardly Lion had been turned into a stone statue by the Nome King, but thankfully Dorothy defeats the Nome King and restores the Cowardly Lion to his regular form. Among many other Ozians, he celebrates Dorothy's victory and witnesses the return of Oz's true ruler Ozma. He also says goodbye to Dorothy as she hugs him when she departs, knowing she will return to Oz another time.
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