Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch to Lead ‘War of the Roses’ Remake

Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch are ready to duke it out in satirical divorce comedy “The Roses.” The remake of 1989 feature “War of the Roses,” which starred “Romancing the Stone” alums Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, “The Roses” will be written by “Poor Things” screenwriter Tony McNamara, marking a reunion between the screenwriter and “The Favourite” Academy Award winner Colman.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that the feature has been set up at Searchlight Pictures, with “Bombshell” director Jay Roach helming the project. “The Roses” is based on the novel published in 1981 by Warren Adler. The 1989 adaptation was directed by Danny DeVito and released by Twentieth Century Fox.

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Per Searchlight, the remake’s official synopsis read: “Life seems easy for picture-perfect couple Theo (Cumberbatch) and Ivy (Colman): successful careers, great kids, an enviable sex life. But underneath the façade of the perfect family is a tinderbox of competition and resentments that’s ignited when Theo’s professional dreams come crashing down.”

Both actors are producing, with Cumberbatch’s SunnyMarch banner and Colman’s Her South of the River banner behind the project. Director Roach and Michelle Graham are also producing, with Jonathan R. Adler and Michael Adler from Adler Entertainment Trust executive producing.

“‘The Roses’ is a wildly funny, bigger than life, and yet deeply human story,” said Searchlight president Matthew Greenfield told Variety. “With Jay at the helm, and Benedict and Olivia and Tony, we have a dream team bringing it to life.”

Colman is set to star opposite Dev Patel in another unique romance story about a woman who creates her dream man out of wicker. She is also appearing in comedy “Wicked Little Letters.” Colman told IndieWire she would definitely reunite with “The Roses” screenwriter McNamara’s longtime collaborator Yorgos Lanthimos, whom Colman worked with on “The Favourite.”

“I mean, I would work with him again for free any time, to be honest,” Colman said of Lanthimos, “and I think he probably knows that. I know whenever he wins everything, and I text him and go, ‘You’re amazing!'”

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