Johnny Depp is headed for a casting showdown with Inception star Tom Hardy as reports confirmed that Depp is being offered the male lead in Universal's Snow White and the Huntsman.

According to TheWrap, producer Joe Roth is seeking to re-team with Johnny Depp in the new feature. The two hard previously worked together in Tim Buton's Alice in Wonderland. Johnny Depp has numerous engagement but he has an opening between December and March, when his new films The Tourist and Rango will be opening.

"Universal is looking to start production on Snow White and the Huntsman in January, so Depp does have a small window of availability around that time," wrote Jeff Sneider of TheWrap.

Meanwhile, Tom Hardy will be focusing on a major part in the still-untitled Batman movie, set to be directed by Christopher Nolan. Hardy was previoulsy cast by Nolan in the box-office hit, Inception.

The Hollywood actor was reportedly one of the leading choice for the male lead in the Snow White and the Huntsman. However, since the part is likely to go to Johnny Depp, Hardy will focus on his role in the Batman movie, Speculations are abuzz that he will play yet another villain in a Christopher Nolan film after his memorable turn in Inception.

As previoulsy reported, Hardy is currently filming for the romantic action-comedy This Means War opposite Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon and Star Trek's Chris Pine. He will also be seen in the upcoming thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy which had just wrapped up filming.

Hardy was set to star in Mad Max: Fury Road, but the filming for the movie in Australia is at present, in hiatus. He was last seen in another Christopher Nolan-directed film Inception, which earned $289 million in the United States alone.