Wuthering Heights movie: Margot Robbie is spotted in a wedding dress as Adolescence actor Owen Cooper plays Young Heathcliff
“Be with me always – take any form – drive me mad!” read the poster shared by Oscar-winning actor, writer and director Emerald Fennell on X in July 2024. And drive us mad she has. The quote, uttered by Heathcliff after the death of Catherine, announced her new film adaptation of Emily Brontë’s gothic romance novel Wuthering Heights, which was originally released in 1847 under her nom-de-plume ‘Ellis Bell.’ To date, there have already been 14 film and television adaptations of Wuthering Heights, including a movie made in 1992 starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche.
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Who is the director, Emerald Fennell?
Emerald came through the ranks as an actor, starring in Call the Midwife and The Crown, but is now well-established as a Hollywood auteur. Her directorial debut Promising Young Woman won Best Original Screenplay and Outstanding British Film at the Oscars. Her next picture was the haunting satire Saltburn, whose raunchy sequences and provocative social commentary proved divisive for audiences.
What is the story of Wuthering Heights?
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë is a tale of intense passion, revenge and the destructive power of love, set against the wild, untamed backdrop of the Yorkshire moors. The novel follows the tumultuous relationship between Heathcliff, an orphan adopted by the Earnshaw family, and Catherine Earnshaw, the spirited daughter of the household. Their obsessive love defies social conventions but ultimately leads to betrayal, heartbreak and vengeance that spans generations. Heathcliff’s thirst for retribution against those who wronged him shapes the fates of both the Earnshaw and Linton families. Through its dual narrators, Mr. Lockwood and the housekeeper Nelly Dean, the novel explores themes of class, nature versus nurture, and the cyclical nature of suffering. The story’s gothic atmosphere and complex characters have made it a timeless classic.
Who is starring in Wuthering Heights?
“Did anyone actually read the book before deciding this?” asked the Independent’s film critic Clarisse Loughrey when she saw the casting decisions for Heathcliff and Catherine. And she wasn’t alone, with reams of Brontë fans taking to social media to protest the decision for Hollywood mega-stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi to take on the Yorkshire protagonists. Their complaints were manyfold and included the duo’s Australian vernacular and the challenges associated with a late 18th-century Yorkshire accent. With such a wide roster of British actors (many with authentic Yorkshire accents), Emerald’s decision to cast the Barbie and Saltburn stars feels questionable. Several actors with legendary status have taken on the role of Heathcliff, including Richard Burton and Laurence Olivier (pictured below in his role).
Many also pointed out that Catherine is in her teens (Margot is currently in her mid 30s) and Heathcliff is described as around 40 (Jacob is 27). Also flagged by critics is the fact that Heathcliff is described as ‘dark-skinned’ in the 1847 novel, which would point towards non-white casting, particularly given the ostensible push for diversifying the film industry.
Most recently, Owen Cooper, Adolescence star Owen Cooper has been confirmed to play a young Heathcliff.
Where is Wuthering Heights being filmed?
This wild and tragic love story is set against the backdrop of the wild Yorkshire moors, which contribute to the gothic and supernatural aspects of the novel. Though no filming locations have been set yet (the film is still in pre-production) we expect the Yorkshire moors in the north of the UK to be inundated with cast and crew throughout the filming period, which is expected to commence in the next couple of months. The town of Haworth and the surrounding areas play a particular role in the novel as Brontë was born and lived in the area. Her sister Charlotte’s well-known gothic novel Jane Eyre was set in a similar area for this reason. Fans of the book will eagerly await the announcement of which houses will stand in for the two main properties, Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange.
When will Wuthering Heights hit cinema screens?
Warner Bros. has now confirmed to Variety that the latest remake of the classic novel will be released on 13 February 2026, the day before Valentine’s Day. So we’ll have to wait another year to see whether this team of Hollywood mega-stars can carry this off.
