The 2026 adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights was already looking to be a contentious film, but the beginning of its official marketing, including an initial teaser trailer, has prompted backlash among fans of the classic novel. The new Wuthering Heights is directed by Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman, Saltburn), and stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.
This Wuthering Heights adaptation will again follow the heated, forbidden relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff against the backdrop of the mysterious moors. Wuthering Heights’ trailer leans heavily into themes of pᴀssion and Sєxuality, which many feel is not faithful to the source material. Check out the reactions to this trailer from X below:
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The fact that the new movie is embracing a more modern perception of Sєxuality has been the subject of widespread ridicule, as @daehaerys compares it to Fifty Shades of Grey:
The soundtrack by Charli XCX to be featured in Wuthering Heights is also a frequent point of complaint; while Fennell may want to create an effective contrast, viewers such as @lynchianbush find this musical accompaniment laughable:
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Compliments and genuine excitement for the upcoming Wuthering Heights are few and far between. Those who do seem to be interested seem to express their opinion with some kind of caveat, such as @RhodeToLove, who says: “i can’t defend Emerald Fennell movies but I do enjoy them“:
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Another repeated sentiment is that the movie looks visually and thematically very compelling, but its departure from Wuthering Heights’ original story and themes is the main problem. @_harjitsingh notes that they “could’ve just had this be an original movie,” and “the visuals alone” would have been enough:
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Additionally, Fennell’s Wuthering Heights is unlikely to escape its most problematic decision, of casting Jacob Elordi in the role of Heathcliff, who is generally understood to be of Romani descent, based on the book. @defneorsomethin again calls the movie out for being “whitewashed” in response to the trailer:
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Finally, @rachellacroixs points out that the quotation marks surrounding the тιтle Wuthering Heights in the marketing may indicate that it is a loose adaptation. But this does not seem to be an effective way of making sure everyone is on the same page, as the X user still laughs at it:
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What These Reactions Mean For Wuthering Heights
A few months ago, Wuthering Heights’ casting director Kharmel Cochrane warned that it would not be entirely faithful to the source material, arguing that this was not the point of what Fennell was doing. However, again, Warner Bros. seems to have made a misstep in marketing, when leaning into it being a reimagining might have alleviated some of this backlash.
But even then, the potential erasure of some of Wuthering Heights’ most important themes would not have sat well with viewers. Wuthering Heights already has a narrow audience, given its more mature and literary story, and the people who would have been its target demographic (fans of the Brontë novel) already rallying against it will lead to a difficult time at the box office.
Our Take On Wuthering Heights’ First Trailer & Backlash
The few people who offer the trailer for Wuthering Heights some goodwill are correct in saying that, visually, it is stunning, again an example of Fennell’s poised and striking style. If Fennell had just committed to faithfully adapting the story, these images might have been well-received.
Or, the director could have just made an original period piece movie, perhaps loosely inspired by the works of the Brontë sisters. Wuthering Heights’ best bet now is that people will want to see it out of curiosity about what has caused such backlash, which will probably lead to success on streaming rather than in theaters.
