Emerald Fennel’s third film, and first book adaptation, Wuthering Heights, has critics hot under the collar.
Critics have been quick to praise Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi’s scintillating chemistry.
Film News Blitz’s RC Stacey takes a look at the initial reactions and the controversy behind the period film.
What is ‘Wuthering Heights’ about?
Based on the novel of the same name by Emily Brontë, published in 1847, Fennel’s Wuthering Heights tells the story of Catherine Earnshaw (Robbie) and her toxic relationship with Heathcliff (Elordi), as their love descends into cruelty.
What have critics said about the new ‘Wuthering Heights’ film?
While reviews are embargoed until closer to the release date (13 February), Warner Bros. Pictures has allowed film critics to share their initial reactions on social media.
Variety and The AV Club contributor Courtney Howard said: “Emerald Fennell’s WutheringHeightsMovie is god-tier new classic. Intoxicating, transcendent, tantalising, bewitching, lustworthy, hypnotic. Expertly captures the breathtaking ache & essence of desire. Sandgren’s cinematography is spellbinding. Davies’ production design is sublime.”
Next Best Picture owner Matt Neglia shared: ”To be clear, I have no real attachment to the source material beyond what I’ve seen in other adaptations, so Emerald Fennell’s WUTHERING HEIGHTS feels entirely singular, and you’ll either love her bold, colourful approach or not.”
Film Speak’s Griffin Schiller exclaimed: “Emerald Fennell graduating from the Baz Luhrmann school of literary adaptations with #WutheringHeightsMovie! A seductive, grand scale, sweeping romance channelling the raw emotion of the text to create a full-on sensory experience… I’m sure purists will take issue, but it’s sure to become a staple for this generation.”
Criticism and controversy
Fennel’s latest has already seen its fair share of criticism (something the Saltburn director will be used to) for its schewing of the source material’s themes.
The biggest complaints come in the form of Heathcliff’s whitewash casting – Brontë’s novel describes the character as “dark-skinned”, which has led to claims of whitewashing from audiences in the lead-up to the film’s release.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Brontë scholar Claire O’Callaghan said that casting Elordi “overlooks the ambiguity that’s there, and therefore kind of overlooks the readings that Emily Brontë is pointing to that are as rich as anything else.”
During its promotional run, and with the new initial reactions now live, some are concerned that the film’s reliance on eroticism will dilute the original themes of the book, like violence, class issues, and oppression.
In lieu of the criticisms, Fennell, at the Brontë’s Women’s Writing Festival, claimed “I wanted to make something that was the book that I experienced when I was 14… see what it would feel like to fulfil my 14-year-old wish, which is both good and bad”.
She added, “I was really determined to preserve as much of her dialogue [as possible] because her dialogue is the best dialogue ever,” she said. “I couldn’t better it, and who could?”
Fennell was first introduced to audiences as Nurse Patsy Mount in the BBC’s Call the Midwife before writing and directing the Best Original Screenplay Oscar-winner Promising Young Woman (2020).
Her sophomore effort, Saltburn (2024), became a cult phenomenon and cemented her as an exciting, if off-the-wall, filmmaker.
When is ‘Wuthering Heights’ in cinemas?
Joining Robbie and Elordi are Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes and Ewan Mitchell.
Wuthering Heights lands in theatres on 13 February 2026 and is set to be a Valentine’s weekend favourite.
Should a filmmaker be able to take complete creative liberties when adapting from a different source? Sound off in the comments.
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