Marriage, mayhem, and a whole lot of passive aggression — The Roses is coming for the crown of messiest on-screen breakup this year.
Directed by Jay Roach (Bombshell, Meet the Parents) and written by Tony McNamara (The Favourite, Poor Things), The Roses is Searchlight Pictures’ latest satirical black comedy adaptation of Warren Adler’s 1981 novel The War of the Roses.
Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman star as Theo and Ivy Rose — a couple who seem to have it all: thriving careers, adorable kids, and a picture-perfect life. But, as anyone who’s watched enough dark comedies knows, appearances can be deceiving. When Theo’s career hits the skids just as Ivy’s starts soaring, things take a turn. What starts as subtle jabs and side-eyes spirals into an all-out domestic battlefield — complete with food fights, full-on chaos, fire and a pistol.
The Roses boasts a stacked supporting cast: Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Demetriou, Zoë Chao, Andy Samberg, Allison Janney, Belinda Bromilow, Kate McKinnon, Sunita Mani, Hala Finley, and Akie Kotabe all round out the ensemble. It’s a melting pot of comedic chaos.
Inspired by Warren Adler’s 1981 novel The War of the Roses — and the infamous 1989 film adaptation starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner — this updated take is sharper, louder, and unafraid to get its hands dirty. And if the trailer is any indication, Cumberbatch and Colman are having way too much fun dragging each other through the mud (sometimes literally). One moment, Ivy’s aiming a gun. The next, Theo’s weapon of choice? An orange.
Behind the scenes, the producing team includes Roach alongside Michelle Graham, Adam Ackland, Leah Clarke, Ed Sinclair, and Tom Carver.
The Roses officially hits theaters on August 29, 2025, and will arrive the same weekend as The Toxic Avenger remake and Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing — but this breakup comedy might just steal the spotlight.
So if you’re into kitchen-sink arguments, delightfully toxic takedowns, and watching two of Britain’s finest actors square off with impeccable timing and zero chill, The Roses should be at the top of your must-watch list.
Let the domestic war games begin.