Searchlight Pictures has officially set a release date for The Roses, a new dark comedy starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman. The film will hit theaters on August 29, bringing together a powerhouse cast and creative team for a sharp, satirical look at love gone sour.
Directed by Jay Roach (Bombshell, Meet the Parents) and written by Tony McNamara (Poor Things, The Great), The Roses draws inspiration from the 1989 cult classic The War of the Roses, itself based on the novel by Warren Adler. But this isn’t a remake — it’s a modern reinterpretation with its own bite and emotional complexity.
The story centers on Ivy (Colman) and Theo (Cumberbatch), a couple who seem to have it all — successful careers, happy kids, and a picture-perfect marriage. But when Theo’s career takes a nosedive and Ivy’s ambitions take flight, buried tensions explode into a chaotic power struggle full of dark humor and psychological warfare.
The film’s ensemble cast adds even more comedic and dramatic firepower, featuring Andy Samberg, Allison Janney, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Demetriou, Zoë Chao, Belinda Bromilow, and Kate McKinnon. Cumberbatch also serves as a producer through his SunnyMarch banner, alongside Adam Ackland and Leah Clarke.
"The Roses is a wildly funny, bigger than life, and yet deeply human story," said Searchlight president Matthew Greenfield when the project was first announced in 2023. "With Jay at the helm, and Benedict and Olivia and Tony, we have a dream team bringing it to life."
The original War of the Roses, directed by Danny DeVito and starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, became a late-80s hit and earned multiple Golden Globe nominations. With a new cast, fresh tone, and McNamara’s signature satirical writing, The Roses aims to revive that explosive dynamic for a modern audience — with even sharper edges.
