Metal fans have long clung onto rumours that their horror-punk hero was in the running to play the clawed berserker in the first X-Men film.

Danzig confirmed to LA Weekly that he had been approached by the producers to audition for the part that turned Jackman into a star but he turned them down. "I'm glad I didn't do it. It was terrible," he said.

When asked how he would have played the part differently to Jackman, he said: "It wouldn't have been as gay. Actually, (Jackman) wasn't the first choice. They hired Dougray Scott. He had a falling out with the director, and then they hired Hugh Jackman."

It's true that Jackman was offered the part late in the day but the official story has always been that Scott had to pass on playing Wolverine because of lengthy shooting delays on Mission: Impossible 2, which he was making with Tom Cruise in Sydney.

While Jackman's performance may have upset Danzig to the point of bigotry, X-Men fans think otherwise and have praised his take on Wolverine even if they haven't exactly loved the last two X-Men films.

Jackman is set to pop his claws again this August when shooting begins on The Wolverine in Sydney. It'll be the fifth time he has played Wolverine on screen.