Emerald Fennell’s (Saltburn) adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel Wuthering Heights hits theaters next week, and the first reactions have been rolling in on social media. Unsurprisingly, the film is being described as breathtaking, deeply romantic, and—yes—decidedly horny. Critics are also raving about the electric chemistry between Margot Robbie (Barbie) and Jacob Elordi (Frankenstein), who star as Catherine and Heathcliff, respectively.
Wuthering Heights First Reactions
These types of first reactions are typically overly positive, but all things considered, it sounds like Fennell has another winner on her hands with Wuthering Heights. The film seems poised to become a major hit when it debuts on February 13, just in time for Valentine’s Day weekend.
All About the Film
Wuthering Heights, which was first published in 1847, deals with “Heathcliff, an orphan-turned-foster-son who falls in love with the daughter of the family who owns the estate on which he now lives, Wuthering Heights. After running away, Heathcliff rises up through the ranks of the gentry and exacts revenge on the families — the Earnshaws and the Lintons — who kept him from his true love.“
In addition to Robbie and Elordi, the film also stars Shazad Latif (Star Trek: Discovery) as Edgar Linton, Hong Chau (The Whale) as Nelly Dean, Alison Oliver (Conversations with Friends) as Isabella Linton, Martin Clunes (Doc Martin) as Mr. Earnshaw, and Ewan Mitchell (House of the Dragon) as Joseph.
Wuthering Heights has been adapted to the screen numerous times, including in 1939 with Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon, 1970 with Timothy Dalton and Anna Calder-Marshall, 1992 with Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche, and 2011 with Kaya Scodelario and James Howson.
The film is being released by Warner Bros., but it could just as easily have debuted on Netflix. The streaming service offered Fennell a massive $150 million deal for the project, but she turned it down for the smaller $80 million offer from Warner Bros., which promised a wide release and a full marketing campaign. Netflix was reportedly “shocked” by this choice, but it looks like a project meant for the big screen.
