It’s giving Brontëcore, it’s giving Oscar bait, and it’s definitely giving fans mixed feelings. Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, wrapped filming in early April 2025, and Twitter (sorry, X) hasn’t stopped spiraling since.
From book purists to style enthusiasts, the reaction to the leaked images from the set has been nothing short of chaotic (and, frankly, very on-brand for a story as divisive and destructive as Wuthering Heights.)
Robbie plays the fierce Catherine Earnshaw, with Elordi as the tortured Heathcliff. The Wuthering Heights adaptation, co-produced by Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment and distributed by Warner Bros., will hit theaters February 13, 2026, with the Yorkshire Dales replacing the Brontëan moors.
Swooning or side-eyeing, no one can keep quiet about Wuthering Heights, especially not after Robbie was papped wearing a white wedding dress, which is considered historically inaccurate, yet iconic.
Is Wuthering Heights (2026) going to be all about “fashion, trauma, and Oscar bait?”
Let’s just say XplorFeed settled the vibe: “Wuthering Heights, but make it fashion, trauma, and Oscar bait.” Fennell’s cinematic language is steeped in psychosexual drama and aesthetics, as seen in Saltburn and Promising Young Woman. So it’s no surprise this Gothic classic is getting a high-style treatment—just maybe not one Emily Brontë would recognize.
Cinematographer Linus Sandgren, an Oscar winner for La La Land, brings sweeping melancholy to the moors. With filming taking place across Arkengarthdale, Swaledale, and Low Row, the rugged beauty is undeniable. According to the BBC, Robbie even introduced her baby to the hotel’s resident pigs between takes at Simonstone Hall—talk about method parenting!
But fans are divided. User @JinWoo415080 said, “Normalize reading the book before doing your adaptation,” which was echoed by others who worry that Fennell’s stylization may stray too far from the text. On the flip side, @MissAlzie wrote: “She looks amazing.” Because sometimes, that’s all that matters.
From literary classic to a cultural lightning rod
Let’s talk casting. Jacob Elordi reportedly considered stepping away from acting until Fennell offered him Heathcliff—no audition needed.
Hong Chau, fresh off her The Whale Oscar nom, plays Nelly Dean, while Saltburn breakout Alison Oliver is Isabella Linton. Meanwhile, newcomers Charlotte Mellington and Owen Cooper portray the couple’s younger selves.
Despite the critique, the literary world is buzzing about Wuthering Heights. Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Parsonage Museum, told the BBC, “Every adaptation brings something fresh for contemporary audiences.” And let’s not forget: the 1939 version scored a Best Picture Oscar nod.
With awards season timing and a Fennell-Robbie pedigree, this adaptation could very well follow suit. Yet, fans like @eveirisowo are unconvinced, declaring: “Everything about this movie is so wrong!!“
