Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman will star in “The Roses,” a reimagining of the 1989 classic “The Warfare of the Roses.” The dark comedy, which is currently in development, will be directed by Jay Roach (“Bombshell,” “Meet the Mother and Father”) and written by Tony McNamara (“Poor Things,” “The Great”), based primarily on the novel by Warren Adler.
The film follows perfect couple Theo (Cumberbatch) and Ivy (Colman), who have successful careers, great kids and an enviable sex life. But beneath the facade of the right family lies a tinderbox of competition and resentment that ignites when Theo’s professional goals come crashing down.
“’The Roses’ is a deeply humorous, larger-than-life and deeply human story,” said Searchlight President Matthew Greenfield. “With Jay at the helm, and Benedict, Olivia and Tony, we now have a dream team bringing this to life.”
Cumberbatch will produce under his SunnyMarch banner with Leah Clarke and Adam Ackland, who have been in development on the project since 2017. Colman will also produce under his South of the River banner with Ed Sinclair and Tom Carver, along with Roach and Michelle Graham.
“We are thrilled to be working on this special film with such an incredible team,” said SunnyMarch’s Ackland. “We have long been admirers of Jay’s work and his vision and enthusiasm in telling this story is incredibly inspiring.”
Colman and Sinclair from South of the River mentioned: “We’ve been cooking this with our friends at SunnyMarch for a while now and it’s been an absolute thrill to see it come to life under Jay’s passionate and thoughtful direction. He and Tony are a match made in cinematic comedy heaven.”
Jonathan R. Adler and Michael Adler of Adler Leisure Trust are government producers. “The Roses” marks the first project in a two-year first-look deal signed between Adler Entertainment Trust and Searchlight Photos.
“Working with our partners at Searchlight Photos on this reimagining of the classic film is a dream come true,” said Jonathan R. Adler. “We are delighted to continue the legacy of our father’s no-nonsense work and introduce ‘The War of the Roses’ to a new era.”
Twentieth Century Fox released the original adaptation of the novel “The War of the Roses” in 1989, directed by Danny DeVito and starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. The film won several awards and a BAFTA nomination and three Golden Globe nominations, including Best Film.
Cumberbatch is repped by Conway van Gelder Grant and UTA, Colman by CAA and United Brokers, and Roach by UTA, Mosaic and Behr Abramson Levy Johnson.
Paul Hoffman negotiated the overall deal for Searchlight Photos with Jeff Silberman of King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano for Adler Leisure Belief. Searchlight Vice President of Manufacturing Richard Ruiz and Chief Growth and Manufacturing Officer Pete Spencer are overseeing the venture, reporting to Searchlight Heads of Manufacturing DanTram Nguyen and Katie Goodson-Thomas.
The deadline was the first to report the information.
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