Perfect Casting for the Remake of the Black Divorce Comedy ‘War of the Roses’

Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner starred in the original War of the Roses, back when Danny DeVito was a legit successful director and Michael Douglas had basically built a career playing sleazy, misogynistic men. War of the Roses pairs nicely with Fatal Attraction as a great double feature for couples feeling a little unsure about marriage.

The original was a pitch-black comedy about a couple who enter marriage madly in love, only to be slowly undone by the petty annoyances that chip away at their relationship until it explodes into a full-blown, knock-down, drag-out war… of the Roses.

A remake initially felt like a bad idea, until I saw who’s starring: Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch. That’s inspired casting. I love that they’ve tapped two actors mostly known for their dramatic chops (though Colman’s done her share of comedy) to take this on. The Jay Roach-directed film also boasts a killer supporting cast: Kate McKinnon, Andy Samberg, Zoë Chao, Allison Janney, and Ncuti Gatwa, among others.

Here’s the trailer, which pays homage to the original in a few key moments:

It’s also worth noting, and probably the reason Colman signed on, that the screenplay is by Tony McNamara, the brilliant comedic mind behind The Favourite and The Great (Huzzah!). The film hits theaters on August 29.