Wuthering Heights 2026 Movie Trailer Released
- Melchior Antoine
- Sep 6
- 3 min read
The raunchy trailer to Wuthering Heights by director Emerald Fennel was just released (on September 05, 2025) to mostly mixed reactions at its modern and risque approach to the classic 1847 Emily Brontë novel. The movie stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi and is directed by Emerald Fernell — a director well-known for movies that center discomfort, sex, and violence.
The movie was announced as early as in July 2024 by director Emerald Fennell on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. The filmmaker is best known for movies like Saltburn and Promising Young Woman, and she accepted a bid to produce the film from Warner Bros, which is scheduled for a theatrical release on Valentine’s Day 2026.
A novel with several film adaptations
Of course,this has not been the first adaptation of Wuthering Heights. In 1939, Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon played the main characters Heathcliff and Catherine in a film adaptation directed by William Wyler. This was followed by the 1992 film directed by Peter Kosminsky starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche.
In 2009, Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley starred in the TV serial version of the novel directed by Cody Giedroyc. This was not the first TV version of the book as it was adapted into two series in 1978 and 1998.
Difficult material to work with
The 2026 film is inspired by the famous Emily Brontë novel. The novel tells the story of the unhappy love affair between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. The story features tensions related to class, race, jealousy, and revenge.
The unlikable protagonist of the novel Heathcliff is taken in by the Earnshaws as an orphan whose race is indeterminate and is often referred to as a dark-skinned Gypsy. Despite his mistreatment by certain members of the family, he develops a close relationship with their daughter, Catherine. However, despite the two lovers being united in spirit, class, race, and prejudice frustrate their destiny, leading to tragedy and revenge.
Many people have complained about the casting and worry about whether the version of the story told by Fennell will faithfully reflect the original classic Victorian novel. If the recent trailer for Wuthering Heights is anything to go by, they were most likely right in their initial misgivings. The director as early as April 2025 warned that there are “definitely going to be some English Lit fans that are not going to be happy” with it.
But one doubts that staying true to Emily Bronte’s novel would result in a pleasant viewing experience. The novel has always been controversial. The main characters Heathcliff and Catherine are highly unlikable, as are the antagonists that Heathcliff goes up against. In addition, the way that it is told is complicated, relying on a number of unreliable narrators who cannot be trusted because of their own prejudices.
The novel was set in the Victorian era in England, and this is reflected in the setting of the 2026 Wuthering Heights film. Shooting locations include the Yorkshire Dales National Park in England, the village of Low Row, and Surrender Bridge.
Reactions to the trailer and prior Wuthering Heights controversy
The recent teaser trailer for Wuthering Heights is only one minute and thirty-one seconds and takes a quite a modern and risque approach, which some may see as controversial. This won’t be the first time the film has met with a negative reaction from the general public. In March 2025, photos were released of Margot Robbie in an extravagant White bridal costume. This was widely criticized for being historically inaccurate as White wedding dresses were not a thing in the Victorian era.
Other controversies relate to the casting. Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi have been described as too old, especially Margot Robbie who is thirty-five years old. The character Catherine that she plays dies as a teenager. More controversially, Heathcliff is portrayed in the novel as a mysterious dark “other,” who suffers from discrimination because of his dark skin, giving the novel racial implications. However, Jacob Elordi, a White actor, plays Heathcliff, which means the racial aspect of the novel will be downplayed or outright ignored.
The trailer takes a decidedly modern Gothic take on the novel. It is set to modern music, namely, Charli XCX's "Everything is romantic." Besides this, it also has a heavy focus on uncomfortable sexual undertones, bordering on hints of masochism. Wuthering Heights is set for release in time for the amorous season —Valentine’s Day — on Feb. 13, 2026.
Cite this EminentEdit article |
Antoine, M. (2025, September 06). Wuthering Heights 2026 Movie Trailer Released. EminentEdit. https://www.eminentediting.com/post/wuthering-heights-2026-movie-trailer |
