Channing Tatum 'to play mermaid' in Splash remake

Channing Tatum is expected to don a fish's tail for the role

Magic Mike star Channing Tatum is to play the mermaid in a remake of 1984's film Splash, taking the role played by Darryl Hannah, according to reports.

The original film saw Tom Hanks play a man saved from drowning as a boy by a mermaid, whom he meets 20 years later.

Tatum - who will presumably be a merman - is set to co-star with Jillian Bell, according to Hollywood Reporter.

They starred in 2014's undercover cop comedy film 22 Jump Street, which topped the box office on its release.

The original film's director Ron Howard is set to produce the film, along with Tatum.

The film, a rom-com about whether the man will choose to remain on land or join the mermaid in the sea, was nominated for an Oscar for best original screenplay.

Darryl Hannah played the mermaid in the 1984 original film with Tom Hanks

This version will be written by Maris Lewis-Ryan and follows on from Ghostbusters, which was remade this year with an all-female lead cast.

Tatum recently starred in Hail Caesar! with George Clooney and Josh Brolin, while Bell is to appear in Office Christmas Party later this year.