The British actress – who had been the frontrunner to play the lead in the erotic sci-fi film – is devastated at learning movie bosses are now lining up ‘Grindhouse’ beauty Rose McGowan to play the sexy superhero.

A source said: “It seemed Kate had got the part but nothing was signed and sealed. Now the word is she’s going to lose out to Rose.”

Beckinsale, 35, reportedly had her heart set on playing the title character – originally portrayed by Jane Fonda in the 1968 cult classic – and can’t believe the role is going to someone else.

The source added to Britain’s Daily Express newspaper: “The film is expected to be a really big commercial hit so it will be a blow for Kate.”

Producer Dino De Laurentiis and ‘Casino Royale’ screenwriters Neal Purvis and Robert Wade are currently working on the script.

Meanwhile, 35-year-old McGowan is currently working on upcoming film ‘Inferno’ – in which she will play porn star Linda Lovelace – while Beckinsale has four movies due for release this year, including comic book adaptation ‘Whiteout’.

I do not know if this is a necessary reshoot of a sixties sex kitten movie. But none the less the trades are reporting that Barbarella is getting the movie treatment once again. Released in 1966 Barbarella hit comic book shelves with a story by Jean-Claude Forest. The adult comic book later found its way on to the big screen in 1968 with Jane Fonda as the lead intergalactic beauty queen.

Kate Beckinsale, Rose McGowan are a couple names being tossed around who may be up for the role. With Robert Rodriguez backing out of the project I am going to guess that Rose will as well. It looks like they got 21 and Legally Blonde’s Robert Luketic behind the camera

“According to EW.com, producer Dino De Laurentiis, the man who’s decided there’s still gold in them tha’ hills, appointed Luketic after his first choice Robert Rodriguez decided that Universal’s German shoot would take him too far from his family in Texas.”

So what can we expect from a updated sexy sixties story “It will be a big intergalactic adventure with a sexy twist,”

No word yet on whom will play Barbarella herself, who do you think Rose or Kate?