Remember when Clive Owen was the next James Bond? Now he’s the new Jude Law.

Lost amid last week’s speculation about Julia Roberts’ return to a leading role — and whether she could still “open” a movie — was the question of Owen’s own box office clout. Or lack thereof. Frankly, the so-so splash of Duplicity — their pairing as swooning corporate spies earned a modest $14 million in its debut weekend — probably means Owen’s days as a leading man in big-budget action larks are numbered. February’s The International under-performed. So did the violent romp Shoot Em Up. Even Children of Men — one of the most influential, well-respected films of the decade — tanked. And while Inside Man was such a hit that a sequel will start shooting later this year, it was Denzel Washington, not Owen, who headlined. You can be sure studio bosses have concluded it’s a smarter bet to shell out dough for, say, Dwayne Johnson.

There is also that, no matter what Owen seemingly does, he cannot escape Bond — a role he was appointed to by the media well before Daniel Craig donned 007’s tuxedo. Should Owen regret having supposedly turned Bond down? Not necessarily. After all, a licence to kill doesn’t guarantee an audience outside the Bond franchise, as Craig himself is learning. To wit: Tepid returns for Defiance, The Golden Compass and The Invasion.

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS: At last summer’s Comic-Con, Barry Levine had the buzz. The publisher and co-founder of Radical Comics, he’d been busily attaching big-league Hollywood talent to his upstart comics line.

“Hollywood is looking for original, high-concept material,” he told Sun Media. “It doesn’t have to be a brand name like the Hulk ... Look at Wanted. Two years ago, it was just a limited series.”

Now word comes this week that one of Levine’s properties, Freedom Formula, is inching towards production. New Regency has snapped up rights to the futuristic action-adventure — about pilots who battle in exo-suits — with an eye toward getting X-Men director Bryan Singer to helm.

GOING GREEN (HORNET): There’s finally a start date for shooting of The Green Hornet — the tongue-in-cheek action take-off written by and starring Seth Rogen. Cameras will roll the end of June.

And Rogen says it’s “very likely” Stephen Chow (Shaolin Soccer, Kung Fu Hustle) will essay the role of Kato, played in the TV series by future martial arts star Bruce Lee.

Rogen told Sun Media that he and his lifelong writing partner, Evan Goldberg, “always wanted to make this kind of hero-sidekick movie, kind of an unexplored area for us. When we heard The Green Hornet was coming up for grabs, we though ‘Well, what a perfect way to do this story, because he is kind of like the only hero whose sidekick is more well-known than he is.

“We kind of thought it would be a good way to tell a relationship story and make a crazy action movie at the same time.”

DR. TONGUE’S 3-D HOUSE OF GRATUITOUS 3-D: Lately, we’ve gotten 3-D headaches from Monsters vs. Aliens, Under The Sea IMAX 3-D, My Bloody Valentine and more that I’m sure I’ve blocked from my aching head.

Coming up in our least- favourite film form: Both Shrek IV and its Puss In Boots spinoff with Antonio Banderas; Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland take (tentatively called Alive In Wonderland); and James Cameron’s Avatar.

Remember to deposit your 3-D glasses in the recycling box and not to give Aspirin to children under age 12.