Film

Wuthering Heights First Reactions Are In

29 January 2026

The first reactions to Emerald Fennell’s controversial adaptation of Wuthering Heights are in.

A new take on Emily Brontë’s classic Gothic novel of the same name, Wuthering Heights stars Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, whose deeply passionate relationship is forever damaged when Cathy marries the wealthy Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif). Heathcliff then sets out to exact revenge on the aristocratic families of the Yorkshire moors.

Wuthering Heights’ trailers prompted backlash due to their sexualized elements, while Robbie and Elordi’s casting as the leads has been criticized since they were announced. However, now, the first reactions to Wuthering Heights shared on social media have been positive. The three major reviews that have come out so far highlight the leading duo’s chemistry, the intense story, and the opulent design.

Collider‘s Meredit Loftus compliments the movie’s “gorgeous set design & costumes” as well as the “bombastic music by Charli XCX,” serving to illustrate the “passion + obsession of Catherine & Heathcliff’s torrid love story.” Check out this post below:

TV host Maude Garrett, even more memorably, calls Wuthering Heights “utter perfection,” praising its depiction of the characters’ yearning:

And Variety‘s Jazz Tangcay calls the movie a “scorching hot and twisted tale,” owing it to Robbie and Elordi’s “chemistry and sexual tension” and Fennell’s ability to “take a classic, turn it on its head, make you fall completely in lust, and then utterly destroy your soul.” Read this full post below:

Fennell has defended the casting of Elordi as Heathcliff — a choice that many see as whitewashing the character — as well as her more erotic interpretation of the story. Fennell is known as the director of Promising Young Woman and Saltburn, the latter of which also stars Elordi. Both Fennell and Robbie also serve as producers on Wuthering Heights.

Wuthering Heights’ cast also includes Hong Chau, Alison Oliver, and Ewan Mitchell. When it hits theaters next month, Fennell’s entry will be sharing the box office with new releases including GOAT, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, and Scream 7. Boxoffice Pro is projecting Wuthering Heights to have a debut of $30 million to $40 million.

Wuthering Heights will release in theaters on February 13, 2026.