Alexander Skarsgard for Tarzan role

Los Angeles - Alexander Skarsgard is tipped to take the lead role in Tarzan.

The True Blood actor has been linked with the role of the heroic adventurer alongside Henry Cavill, Charlie Hunnam and Tom Hardy, but director David Yates is said to have made his casting preference known.

However, Alexander is yet to receive an offer and studio Warner Bros have not given approval to the film.

The movie - which has been redrafted by Adam Cozad - will see Tarzan, AKA John Clayton III, living back in England after being assimilated back into society.

Samuel L Jackson

He is asked by Queen Victoria to travel to the Congo and team up with George Washington Williams, a civil War veteran-turned-mercenary - to tackle a fierce warlord, who has seized control of a huge diamond mine and is threatening to cause trouble.

According to Variety, the filmmaker wants to cast Samuel L Jackson in the role of the mercenary, but no offers have yet been made.

Jerry Weintraub is set to produce the feature after developing it for several years and though David has taken on the project, reports say Craig Brewer was initially tapped to do the job.

This big screen adaptation will be the second of Edgar Rice Burroughs' classic novel, with the first being the 1999 Disney animation.

In the meantime Henry can be seen playing Superman in next year's movie Man of Steel and Charlie is starring in sci-fi flick Pacific Rim as well as Deadfall.