ROSE McGowan’s breakup with her fiancé, director Robert Rodriguez, could be good news for some other actresses, who could end up with the leading roles she was set to play in his movies.

McGowan was hoping to star in at least three planned Rodriguez films - a remake of “Barbarella,” “Red Sonja” and “Woman in Chains!”

But sources say the couple, who we reported last October were engaged, have split, partly over the problems Rodriguez had finding financing for “Barbarella” - the 1968 cult classic in which Jane Fonda played a sexy space adven- turess - with McGowan in the title role.

McGowan, best known for her witchy role on TV’s “Charmed,” wasn’t thought to have enough box-office draw for the $70 million remake, especially after “Grindhouse” disappointed with about $25.4 million in domestic ticket sales.

“Too bad ‘Grindhouse’ didn’t gross $100 million. Then, maybe, ‘Barbarella’ would have gotten the green light,” said one source. “Instead, the moguls were saying, ‘We need a bigger star, a bigger name.’ ” Jessica Alba has been touted as a possible replacement.