Kathleen Turner is here for the delicious divorce drama.
Turner, 71, starred in 1989’s “The War of the Roses” opposite Michael Douglas, and she’s given her full support to a retelling of the story with Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch. “The Roses” opens in theaters Aug. 29.
“I do plan to see ’The Roses’ at the premiere in NYC,” Turner tells USA TODAY exclusively in emailed comments ahead of the Aug. 25 event. “Should be fun and I have a bet with myself that they don’t die.”
In “The War of the Roses,” an adaptation of Warren Adler’s novel, love briefly bloomed between Barbara (Turner) and Oliver Rose (Douglas) and then quickly devolved into a contemptuous divorce.
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Barbara, for example, turned their lawn into a demolition derby in the Danny DeVito-directed film, crushing Oliver’s antique car with her SUV (with Oliver inside). Oliver shockingly held Barbara captive inside of their mansion.
In the final minutes of the original movie, Barbara and Oliver have found themselves stranded on a grand chandelier over their foyer, giving way to the weight. The chandelier comes crashing down, and in their last few moments alive, Oliver puts his hand on Barbara’s shoulder. She musters her remaining energy to brush it off.
“I remember that sometimes the anger seemed too real, so we made a pact that no one left set without hugging the others!” Turner says. “I don’t think these are the feelings brought up by divorce − at least I surely hope not.”
Cumberbatch, 49, reciprocates Turner’s enthusiasm. He says he and Colman “loved” the original movie. “It was an iconic film that we both remember from our youth,” he says, adding, “and (we’re) big Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas fans.”
In the “The Roses,” directed by Jay Roach, Ivy Rose (Colman) experiences unexpected success as a chef and restaurateur, which her husband Theo Rose (Cumberbatch), an out-of-work and disgraced architect, begins to resent.
“The lovely thing we got to do is the range of everything you could want from a couple in that situation: the glorious humor, the love, even a little bit of an action scene or two, and some pretty full-on authentic, heartbreaking moments as well,” Cumberbatch says.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kathleen Turner predicts new ending for ‘The Roses’ (exclusive)
