The Internet Is Really Rooting For Hugh Jackman To Join 'Lion King'

If this Lion King remake casting rumor turns out to be true, then there's definitely cause for celebration. On Saturday, word traveled fast on social media that Hugh Jackman may play Scar in Disney's live-action Lion King remake.

UPDATE: Despite the rumors circulating, Jackman's rep tells Bustle, "There's no truth to this report." So unfortunately, this Disney fan-casting is a short-lived one. Whoever is playing Scar has yet to be announced.

EARLIER: After a notable run as X-Men hero Wolverine, as well as good guy characters like Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, it would be a ton of fun to see Jackman tap back into his bad boy side to play such an iconic Disney villain. Sure, he's played villains in the past, but Scar? Scar is a whole 'nother level of villainous. (Bustle reached out to Jackman's rep, as well as Walt Disney Studios, for comment, but did not receive an immediate response.)

Curiosity was piqued on Friday, the evening before the official buzz began, when Jackman posted a photo to his Twitter from Disneyland. The selfie of Jackman, with a Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse statue in the background, was simply captioned, "PARTNERS." At the time, it was a source of intrigue because there was zero explanation about why Jackman chose that particular caption.

So, you can only imagine the kind of exciting internet buzz that erupted when the names "Jackman" and "Scar" were being linked in various reports on Saturday afternoon. Sites like Screen Rant and Omega Underground made mention of the Jackman casting rumor on the same day that early footage of the Lion King remake premiered at the D23 Expo. This is most likely why the rumor took off like wildfire. However, it's worth noting that The Hollywood Reporter did not list Jackman among the movie's cast members and no mention of Scar was made in their story.

For the most part, the rumors that Jackman could play Scar received an enthusiastic reaction online, with the general consensus being that he's a great choice, even if he's a surprising one. But think about it, it'd totally make sense if he's being considered for the part. Jackman is a veteran actor and singer. He's got the chops, he's got the credentials, and it looks like he's ready to take on another iconic role. Clearly, the internet agrees and is hoping the rumor becomes an official announcement.

The Lion King remake has been firing off casting announcements with pleasing regularity. Recent casting news includes John Oliver announced as Zazu, and comedians Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner as Pumbaa and Timon, respectively. And of course, you can forget about the fact that James Earl Jones will return to the role of Mufasa, while Donald Glover will play Simba.

All in all, things are looking fine and dandy for the Lion King remake. If ever there was a reason to get even more excited about this film (as if that's even necessary), Jackman's casting would certainly do it.