LOS ANGELES: British stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman have teamed up for the upcoming remake of 1989 dark comedy “The War of the Roses”.
The new take is titled “The Roses” and will be directed by Jay Roach of “Bombshell” fame, according to the entertainment news outlet Variety.
Cumberbatch and Oscar winner Colman will play a picture-perfect couple Theo and Ivy, who have successful careers, great kids and an enviable sex life.
However, when Theo suffers a professional setback, it all starts to crumble – and the downfall of the Roses is going to make Marriage Story seem like a conscious uncoupling. The script is set to be written by Tony McNamara, who penned the last two Yorgos Lanthimos films, The Favourite and Poor Things – the latter of which featured Colman in an Oscar-winning role.
Based on Warren Adler’s 1981 novel of the same name, The War of the Roses was directed by Danny DeVito and produced by James L. Brooks. DeVito also starred in the film as lawyer Gavin d’Amato, who narrates the film as he relates the twisted tale of Oliver and Barbara Rose (Douglas and Turner, who DeVito starred with in Romancing the Stone). The two experience enormous financial and personal success over the course of their marriage, but their once-devoted love curdles into hatred and resentment, eventually resulting in a bitter, violent divorce that threatens to destroy both of them. The film also starred Marianne Sägebrecht, Dan Castellaneta, Sean Astin, and David Wohl. The film was an enormous success upon its release in 1989’s holiday season, making $160 million USD worldwide on a $26 million budget, and garnered Golden Globe nominations for Best Picture and for Douglas and Turner’s performances.
The War of the Roses remake has been in development since 2017. Cumberbatch will produce the film under his SunnyMarch banner, as will Leah Clarke and Adam Ackland, Colman, Ed Sinclair and Tom Carver for South of the River, Michelle Graham, and Austin Powers director Roach, who recently helmed the Apple comedy series High Desert. Jonathan R. Adler and Michael Adler, from Adler Entertainment Trust, will executive produce.
The War of the Roses remake has not yet set a release date. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates.
