John C. Reilly has been offered a role in 'Guardians of the Galaxy'.

The 'Step Brothers' actor is reportedly being courted for the role of Rhomann Dey in Marvel Studios' sci-fi superhero blockbuster, according to HitFix.com.

Reilly has been offered a supporting part in the movie about a team of alien superheroes, playing a liaison between the otherworldly crime-fighters and S.H.I.E.L.D., the secret government group seen in previous Marvel movies and led by Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury.

Meanwhile, the movie studio has also allegedly shortlisted a string of names to play his partner, including 'House' star Hugh Laurie, 'Harry Potter' actor Alan Rickman and 'Inception' actor Ken Watanabe.

'Guardians of the Galaxy' - which will be directed by James Gunn - will be set entirely in space and star Chris Pratt as the group's leader, Star-Lord aka Peter Quill; Zoe Saldana as superhuman vixen Gamora; Dave Bautista as burly henchman Drax the Destroyer; and Michael Rooker as Yondu.

Other parts which have yet to be filled include animal crime-fighters Rocket Raccoon and Wal Russ.

'Guardians of the Galaxy' is due for release next year, followed by 'The Avengers 2' in 2015, and it's thought the Guardians will join the cast for the movie alongside Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Chris Evans as Captain America and Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk.