Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” (stylized with quotation marks) hit theaters on February 13, 2026 just in time for Valentine’s Day weekend and it’s already stirring up strong reactions. Directed and written by Fennell (fresh off Promising Young Woman and Saltburn), this loose adaptation of Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel leans heavily into carnality, chic visuals, and modern excess, clocking in at 136 minutes of gothic romance dialed up to provocative levels. With an $80 million budget, stunning 35mm cinematography by Linus Sandgren, and original songs by Charli XCX, it’s a visually vibrant spectacle but one that prioritizes passion and stylization over the novel’s deeper spiritual anguish. Critics are split: Rotten Tomatoes sits at around 65% (praised as a “visually vibrant pleasure” but called “emotionally hollow” by some), and Metacritic hovers in the mixed/average range. I’d give it a solid 3 out of 5 it’s entertainingly bold and often mesmerizing, but it trades Brontë’s haunting subtlety for something more surface-level and horny.
Wuthering Heights 2026 Plot Overview
Set against the wild Yorkshire Moors in 18th-century England, the film chronicles the intense, destructive bond between Catherine “Cathy” Earnshaw and the orphaned Heathcliff. It opens with a shocking public hanging that draws in young Cathy, setting a tone of raw ecstasy and violence. Mr. Earnshaw brings home the mysterious street boy Heathcliff, who becomes Cathy’s inseparable companion (and “pet”). Their childhood connection deepens into forbidden desire amid family decay, alcoholism, and class tensions. Cathy chooses security by marrying the refined Edgar Linton, shattering Heathcliff, who disappears only to return years later wealthy, vengeful, and ready to unleash spiteful affairs, including a degrading one with Edgar’s sister Isabella. The story spirals into obsession, betrayal, lust, and tragedy, with explicit scenes of sexuality, BDSM undertones, miscarriage, and emotional devastation. Fennell focuses on the first half of the novel, amplifying physical passion while streamlining (or omitting) elements like Hindley’s arc, making it feel like a feverish, erotic reimagining rather than a faithful retelling.
Wuthering Heights 2026 Star Cast and Performances
The casting is star-studded and central to the film’s buzz (and controversy), with Fennell’s choices emphasizing glamour and chemistry over strict historical or racial fidelity.
- Margot Robbie as Catherine “Cathy” Earnshaw (with Charlotte Mellington as young Cathy): Robbie brings fierce, irrepressible energy to Cathy wild, bratty, and unapologetically sensual. Her performance shines in moments of romantic turmoil and self-discovery, capturing the character’s volatility and longing. Critics note her glamour fits the film’s opulent style, though some feel it leans too “paper-doll” superficial. She’s magnetic, especially in the film’s steamiest sequences, making Cathy’s internal conflict palpable.
- Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff (with Owen Cooper as young Heathcliff): Elordi smolders as the brooding, vengeful outsider, channeling sleepy-eyed intensity and magnetic glare. His chemistry with Robbie is electric their forbidden passion feels intoxicating and destructive. While some critiques call his brooding more photogenic than deeply layered, he excels at conveying wounded jealousy and obsessive love. The casting sparked debate over Heathcliff’s ambiguous origins, but Elordi owns the role’s physicality and menace.
- Supporting Standouts:
- Hong Chau as Nelly Dean (with Vy Nguyen as young Nelly): Chau delivers a grounded, horrified witness to the chaos her performance adds emotional weight and quiet strength as the Earnshaws’ maid/observer.
- Shazad Latif as Edgar Linton: Latif brings hesitant refinement and subtle depth to the “safe” suitor, making Edgar feel like a tragic counterpoint rather than a caricature.
- Alison Oliver as Isabella Linton: Oliver portrays vulnerability and obsession effectively, especially in the film’s darker, degrading dynamics.
- Martin Clunes as Mr. Earnshaw and Ewan Mitchell as Joseph: They add texture to the decaying household Clunes as the alcoholic patriarch and Mitchell in a supporting role that grounds the gothic atmosphere.
Being Maverick Final Thoughts
Fennell’s version is unapologetically her own: a psychedelic, lust-driven fever dream that’s more “Bridgerton-meets-Saltburn” than traditional Brontë. It’s visually lush (those moors never looked moodier), aurally bold (thanks to Charli XCX), and provocatively explicit perfect for audiences craving mad, passionate excess. But it often sacrifices the novel’s profound spiritual longing and tragedy for chic sensuality, leaving some feeling it’s emotionally shallow or a “bodice-ripping misfire.” If you’re in Delhi and want a theatrical escape with big stars and heated romance, catch it in IMAX this weekend it’s divisive, but undeniably memorable. Just don’t expect the quiet melancholy of older adaptations; this one screams (and steams).
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