A new thriller from director Guy Ritchie, featuring Benedict Cumberbatch, has received an official release date and plot summary. The film sets the stage for a tense story of betrayal, murder, and a ruthless fight for power.
Wife & Dog get plot details and release date
Guy Ritchie will release his upcoming film Wife and Dog in theaters on October 23, 2026.
The black comedy thriller follows a succession battle within the greedy Fairbank family and their associates. The conflict leads to betrayal and murder. Ritchie wrote and directed the film. Black Bear Pictures produced it in partnership with Toff Guy Films.
The film features an ensemble cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rosamund Pike, Anthony Hopkins, Cosmo Jarvis, James Norton, Paddy Considine, and Pip Torrens. Production began in February 2025 in the United Kingdom. Black Bear handled sales during the May 2024 Cannes Film Market. Ritchie also produced the film with Ivan Atkinson and John Friedberg.
According to Black Bear Pictures, which launched its U.S. distribution arm in July 2025, Wife and Dog is among several theatrical releases scheduled for 2026. Other releases include Tuner, starring Dustin Hoffman (May 22), and The Rivals of Amziah King, starring Matthew McConaughey (August 22). Black Bear plans to release up to 12 movies in theaters annually (via The Hollywood Reporter).
This marks the first collaboration between Ritchie and Cumberbatch, despite both having worked within the Sherlock Holmes franchise. Ritchie directed Sherlock Holmes (2009) and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011), while Cumberbatch starred as the detective in the BBC’s Sherlock. Both Cumberbatch and Hopkins appeared in Thor: Ragnarok, portraying Doctor Strange and Odin, respectively, though they shared no scenes.
The team announced Wife & Dog on the same day they confirmed MobLand Season 2 for 2026. Ritchie directs and executive produces the series, which stars Paddy Considine and explores violent family power struggles. He also directs several episodes of Young Sherlock. The series premieres on Prime Video on March 4, 2026, with Hero Fiennes Tiffin in the lead role.
Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on ComingSoon.net.
