Picture this: Benedict Cumberbatch lobs a lemon across a kitchen island so that it lands precisely in Olivia Colman’s face. It's just one of the jaw-dropping scenes in the pair’s upcoming film, The Roses, which sees the duo play Theo and Ivy, a warring couple who enter an epic divorce battle. We should add that the film begins with Benedict's Theo whispering to Olivia's Ivy, “For you dear, I’d do anything”. Oh, how sour things can turn... quite literally.
The hilarious - and rather tense - reimagining of the memorable 1989 film, The War of the Roses, explores the unravelling of an apparently perfect marriage, one that happens pretty quickly and even more spectacularly. The eagerly awaited film is arriving in cinemas on 29th August, but - wait for it - you can win tickets to the UK premiere on 28th August and yes, Benedict and Olivia will be there.
Want to know more? We’ve got all the inside details about The Roses, including the plot, cast, release date and how to win tickets to the premiere.
What is The Roses about?
The slick retelling of classic 1980s film, The War of the Roses, brings together two of the UK’s biggest stars for a grudge match made in heaven. As we mentioned, the satirical comedy stars Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch star as golden couple Ivy and Theo whose marriage cracks quickly turn into ravines.
Ivy is a chef whose career begins to overshadow that of her architect husband Theo – and it doesn’t exactly end well. The film shows how a tinderbox of competition and resentments - under the façade of a picture-perfect couple – is ignited when the husband’s professional dreams come crashing down.
Directed by Jay Roach (Meet the Parents, Austin Powers), The Roses has all the hallmarks of a black-comedy classic and let’s just say there’s never a dull moment. You can expect plenty of jaw-dropping antics, from food fights to frostier-than-frosty jibes and therapy sessions that will leave you in fits of laughter.
Who’s in the cast of The Roses?
The cast of The Roses includes:
- Olivia Colman (Broadchurch, Wicked Little Letters) as Ivy Rose
- Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) as Theo Rose
- Andy Samberg (Palm Springs) as Barry
- Kate McKinnon (Ghostbusters) as Amy
- Alison Janney as Eleanor
- Belinda Bromilow as Janice
- Sunita Mani
- Ncuti Gatwa
- Jamie Demetriou
- Zoë Chao
- Hala Finley
- Akie Kotabe
Is there a trailer for The Roses?
Yes – and there’s “banter”, food fights and well, actual fights, aplenty. You can watch the trailer for The Roses below:
How can I watch The Roses?
Good news – The Roses is arriving in cinemas on Friday 29th August and you can win tickets to join stars Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch on the red carpet at the UK premiere on Thursday 28th August (T&Cs apply). Two lucky winners will join the cast for the star-studded event in London, and stay overnight in a 4-star London hotel with £100 allocated for travel, per person. What more could you want? You can enter here.
What else can I watch Olivia Colman in?
Excitingly, the Broadchurch star recently landed a role as a social worker in crisis in FX's upcoming psychological drama, Cry Wolf. The series revolves around a teenage girl who accuses her mother of abuse, which shocks everyone. Brie Larson plays the mum at the centre of the allegations while Olivia plays the social worker who finds herself caught up in the crisis. And, with Olivia starring and The Affair’s Sarah Treem behind the series as creator, we can't think of a better pairing. While Cry Wolf doesn’t yet have a release date or a broadcaster yet, when it does arrive, we’re expecting it to air in the UK on Disney+.
