Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch are getting a rough divorce.
The Roses, Searchlight’s reworking of the 1989 dark comedy The War of the Roses, starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, has signed on the two British actors.
Director of comedy at the studio arm Jay Roach transitioned into drama with films like Recount and Bombshell. Roach is directing the feature that is now under development. The script was written by Tony McNamara, who was nominated for an Oscar for scripting Searchlight’s highly praised Poor Things. The script is based on Warren Adler’s 1981 novel.
Danny DeVito, the film’s director, and 20th Century Fox presented Oliver and Barbara Rose as a married couple who appeared to lead a beautiful existence in an immaculate mansion. The divorce process begins with a savage beginning and only gets worse as humiliations, sabotage, and violence spread to both sides when the wife realizes she no longer loves her husband and actually hates him.
Colman and Cumberbatch will portray the pair.
Leah Clarke and Adam Ackland of SunnyMarch are producing under Cumberbatch’s label. Colman, together with colleagues Ed Sinclair and Tom Carver, will produce under the South of the River banner. Additionally producing are Michelle Graham and Roach.
Jonathan R. Adler and Michael Adler of Adler Entertainment Trust will serve as executive producers.
Cumberbatch, who was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in 2014’s The Imitation Game, most recently starred in Wes Anderson’s Roald Dahl adaptation The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.
Coleman, who won an Oscar for director Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Favourite, last appeared on screen in Warner Bros.’ Wonka and will next co-star with Everyone’s Favorite Bear in Paddington, Peru It’s planned.
Cumberbatch is repped by UTA and Conway Van Gelder, and Colman is repped by CAA and United Agents. Mr. Roach is repped by UTA, Mosaic and Behr Abramson, and Mr. McNamara is repped by UTA, Sugar23, Frankfurt Kurnit and Australia’s HLA Management.