(Cover) - EN Showbiz - Kevin Bacon is delighted to have finally been invited to the "superhero party".

The Hollywood star has landed the role of Sebastian Shaw in X-Men: First Class, his first outing in a comic book inspired film. He is proud of his involvement with the prequel and was happy to have the opportunity to work with director Matthew Vaughn.

"It didn't take long man," he replied, when asked how long it took him to accept the role. "When I read the script I was happy, since it was my first time invited to the superhero party, that it was actually a great script and a great part and a director I had wanted to work with for a really long time."

The 52-year-old actor has enjoyed a lengthy career in Hollywood and is known for appearing in movies including Animal House, Flatliners and Apollo 13. Perhaps one of his most famous movies was 1984's Footloose in which he played a city boy who moved to a small town only to realise rock music had been banned. The film is being remade, with professional dancer Kenny Wormald playing Ren McCormack this time, and Kevin admits it was a surprise to discover movie bosses had decided it was time to update his character.

"To realise that you are old enough to have a movie that you are in then it is time to remake it. It was a little bit of a shock, I have to say, it wasn't something that had ever even occurred to me that I would be alive when they were remaking pictures of mine," he explained. "But cool, you know, let's see how it is, I am looking forward to it." (C) Cover Media