The Roses stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman talk gender-flipped remake and marital war

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It appears that even the acclaimed 1989 black comedy film “The War of the Roses,” directed by Danny DeVito and known for its box office success with over $160 million in global earnings during its release, is not immune to a remake in Hollywood.

In a later project, Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner (who previously collaborated with DeVito in the action-adventures Romancing the Stone and its sequel) portrayed a long-married pair who find themselves embroiled in an increasingly intense divorce proceedings.

The movie, titled Der Rosenkrieg in Germany, became such a sensation that it seeped into everyday conversations, often used to refer to particularly contentious divorces, making it a common topic of discussion, much like water cooler talk in other cultures.

Not only abroad, but also in the UK, statistics predict that 40% of marriages will end in divorce by 2025. This makes DeVito’s movie a perfect candidate for remaking. Thus, we arrive at The Roses, featuring British acting heavyweights Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game) and Olivia Colman (Broadchurch), portraying troubled couple Theo and Ivy.

In a unique collaboration, these two actors are making their on-screen debut together for the first time. Additionally, they are working in partnership with their individual production companies: Benedict Cumberbatch’s SunnyMarch Productions and South of the River Pictures, which is jointly owned by Olivia Colman and her husband Ed Sinclair.

According to Cumberbatch, during our meeting in London’s Corinthia Hotel, he shared that the concept originated from a joint effort among us. Initially, he suggested the idea of collaborating with Olivia Wilde. It so happened that at that moment, Wilde was immersed in The Favourite project, which later earned her an Oscar for her portrayal of the increasingly eccentric Queen Anne.

Discussing a potential revival of “The War of the Roses,” an idea originally born from Warren Adler’s 1981 novel, Cumberbatch and his team approached Tony McNamara, the talented Australian screenwriter known for crafting the award-winning film “The Favourite” as well as the profanity-laced TV series “The Great” starring Elle Fanning.

According to Colman, we’ve given it a slight twist, but still hold it in high regard. The tone is changed, and with Tony McNamara on board, you can trust the outcome. He excels at creating dark humor, and this didn’t seem like too much of an uncertain move.

Moreover, not only did Jay Roach, renowned for his work on Austin Powers and Meet The Parents films, agree to take the director’s chair, but he also filled the cast with some of the finest comedic talents from around the globe.

On Saturday Night Live, Kate McKinnon and Andy Samberg play characters named Amy and Barry, who are friends of the Roses. Jamie Demetriou, a three-time BAFTA winner from Stath Lets Flats, appears as Rory, a resident living nearby. Lastly, Ncuti Gatwa from Sex Education and Doctor Who portrays Jeffrey, a waiter at a restaurant owned by Ivy.

In this updated version of DeVito’s film, Cumberbatch portrays Theo, an architect, and Colman plays Ivy, a chef – both former British expats living in a stunningly picturesque town on the west coast of America. Their marriage is rocked when external events drive them apart, leading to a bitter back-and-forth conflict that can only have one resolution.

In other words, if the initial piece was a darkly humorous play on reality, this version takes it a step further, incorporating even greater levels of bitterness and physical humor.

In keeping with the humorous tradition of openly lesbian actresses portraying exaggerated sexuality with male characters, McKinnon humorously shares her intention to join this unique group. She finds it amusing and was curious to explore how she might contribute to it herself.

In the revised version, not only did they expand the humor, but they also reversed traditional gender roles. Originally, Douglas played Oliver, a corporate attorney, whereas in this new portrayal, Turner’s character, Barbara, is a discontent homemaker who embarks on starting a catering business.

In The Roses, Theo’s standing is badly damaged following a structure he constructs collapsing during a storm – a highly embarrassing incident that quickly spreads online. On the other hand, Ivy experiences nothing but success after launching a much-loved crab restaurant, humorously named ‘Crabs Galore’.

In an attempt to find validation elsewhere, Theo devotes all his time to training their two young adult children into top-tier athletes, as Cumberbatch explains. Essentially, he’s trying to prove himself in a different area due to feeling less valuable after the architectural setback. This is further emphasized by his friends constantly reminding him of his failure and how that negatively impacts him.

That’s distinctly American – the emphasis on honesty, openness, and the acceptance of both failure and success. It seems to me that it’s this misplacement of focus during their respective ascents and descents that breeds dissatisfaction. They become so engrossed in their own spheres.

Over time, lingering grudges can lead to aggressive behavior. Colman confessed that a particular scene in the script gave her pause, when Ivy feigns being physically abused by Theo. Indeed, domestic violence should never be taken lightly, even within the context of different tones.

Without a doubt, neither she nor Cumberbatch regarded the topic as something trivial. As Cumberbatch articulates, they’ve been incredibly careful with it due to the unfortunate reality that such issues do not lend themselves to humor.

Although “The Roses” varies significantly from the DeVito film, it is bound to strike a chord with viewers who are accustomed to the everyday challenges of maintaining a harmonious marriage. As Gatwa explains, he didn’t acquire any relationship advice from his experience, but instead delves into some aspects of it.

Over the past ten years, Cumberbatch has been married to English theater and opera director Sophie Hunter. He notes that unfortunately, our human nature can sometimes lead to the downfall of marriages.

It’s unfortunate that people often lose interest in something they once found appealing due to boredom. This tendency is likely influenced by our constant desire for novelty, distraction, and entertainment. This pattern can be attributed to various factors such as conditioning, environment, and psychological aspects.

McKinnon agrees, pointing out that The Roses explores timeless human predicaments. She remarks, “There’s a primal instinct in our desire to connect and maintain connections over time.” However, what sets it apart from the 1989 film is that The Roses feels equally British, featuring actors like Cumberbatch, Colman, Gatwa, and Demetriou.

In McKinnon’s view, the characters have a unique blend of qualities: they are British in origin, yet not overly caricatured as typical Americans – with the exception of one scene where Amy and Barry introducing Ivy and Theo to a shooting range, which might reinforce the stereotype that many Americans are overly fond of guns.

In Cumberbatch’s opinion, Theo and Ivy embody classic British characteristics, yet find themselves out of place in a foreign land. However, they travel to America to break free from the constraints of traditional British society, which somewhat contradicts this notion, as he acknowledges with a nod.

As a captivated movie-goer, I must admit that the star-studded cast of this film is nothing short of breathtaking. Specifically, the iconic Cumberbatch, best recognized for his portrayal of Sherlock Holmes in the acclaimed BBC series, graces our screens once more. But it’s not just him – the mesmerizing Olivia Colman, who enchanted us as Queen Elizabeth II on The Crown, also makes an appearance.

Their transition to American soil only adds to the intrigue and anticipation that surrounds this production, making me even more eager to see how they bring their unique talents to life in this new setting.

The actress notes, “It seems likely that if you travel to another country, you might find yourself adopting some British characteristics to a greater extent than usual.” She further mentions, “When I’m in America, I tend to speak with more of an English accent.

As a follower, I find myself in agreement with this perspective. Just like how one piece of art can inspire another, movies are no exception. In my view, reimagining a cherished film such as The War of the Roses is not necessarily a bad thing. As Colman puts it, “Art influences art.” This has been the case for centuries, and I’m hard-pressed to think of an artwork that wasn’t in some way inspired by something else.

It seems you unconsciously draw inspiration from things around you, and I find it marvelous that this captivating movie serves as our shared source of inspiration. We can only wish and hope that the impact of this film doesn’t lead to a significant increase in divorce rates among couples who go see it together at the cinema.

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2025-08-29 10:11