The original War Of The Roses is great. It is pitch-perfect, and as pitch-black as a black comedy can get while still staying funny.
The 1989 movie was itself based on a 1981 novel by William Adler. It starred Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner as Oliver and Barbara Rose, a wealthy and successful couple with a perfect life and a wonderful home.
However, as cracks begin to show in their marriage, the bad blood between them develops into an outrageous and bitter divorce battle, and a battle of wills, as everything from pet pâté to attempted murder by sauna unfolds.
The movie was directed by Danny DeVito, who also stars in the movie alongside his former Romancing the Stone and The Jewel of the Nile co-stars. It made $160 million worldwide from a $26 million budget. In Germany, the film was such a huge success that its German title Der Rosenkrieg became synonymous with high-conflict divorce and is now regularly used in the media.
Now scooper DanielRPK reports that Jay Roach (Austin Powers, Meet the Parents is set to direct a remake, simply titled The Roses.
This is set to star Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman. The script is being written by Poor Things and The Favorite writer Tony McNamara.
The production is set up at Searchlight and is expected to start production in the summer.
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