Olivia Colman And Benedict Cumberbatch Are Teaming Up To Remake This Classic Comedy

"We have a dream team bringing it to life..."
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Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch
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Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch are to take the lead in a new remake of the comedy The War Of The Roses.

The original film, released in 1989, featured Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas as a feuding couple going through a divorce that takes over their entire lives.

On Monday morning, Deadline was first to report that a remake – titled simply The Roses – was in the works, with the two acclaimed British actors as its stars.

Meanwhile four-time Emmy winner Jay Roach will direct, having previously helmed Meet The Parents, the Austin Powers trilogy and the Oscar-nominated drama Bombshell.

“The Roses is a wildly funny, bigger than life, and yet deeply human story,” said Matthew Greenfield, president of the production company Searchlight. 

“With Jay at the helm, and Benedict and Olivia and Tony [McNamara, the new film’s screenwriter], we have a dream team bringing it to life.”

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Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner in The War Of The Roses
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The War Of The Roses was originally adapted for the big screen by Danny DeVito, who directed the film as well as starring in it, alongside The Simpsons’ Dan Castellaneta and Lord Of The Rings’ Sean Astin.

It was nominated for three Golden Globes, including acting nods for Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas, while original screenwriter Michael J Leeson also secured a Bafta nod for his work on the film.

Olivia can currently be seen in the dark comedy Wicked Little Letters, while Benedict was last seen in the Wes Anderson short The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar, based on the Roald Dahl story.