The first trailer for Emerald Fennell’s cinematic adaptation of “Wuthering Heights” starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi just dropped. And fans of the Emily Bronte novel immediately have a lot to say about what they saw.
“Wuthering Heights“ follows the tempestuous romance between childhood friends Heathcliff (Elordi) and Catherine Earnshaw (Robbie). The Gothic novel, first published in 1847, has seen multiple adaptations through the century.
The latest one came with a lot of controversy, especially due to its casting. Many questioned the decision to cast Elordi, a white man, in a role that was implied to be dark-skinned, a big reason why he was discriminated against in the first place. The 2011 film directed by Andrea Arnold was the first adaptation featuring a dark-skinned man in the role, so many lamented that Fennell’s version has regressed. Many also criticized 35-year-old Robbie’s casting as Catherine, who was supposed to be in her teens and early 20’s.
The chatters reignited after the first trailer came out, with fans blasting the film for “eroticizing” the story and using anachronistic soundtrack by Charli xcx.
“I didn’t know Wuthering Heights was the fourth installment in the Fifty Shades of Grey franchise,” one commenter joked, referring to the BDSM-heavy romance films.
Someone needs to apologize to Emily Bronte,” another quipped.
“They Bridgerton’d Wuthering Heights,” lamented another. The Netflix Regency romance is often credited with popularizing anachronism and lots of sex in the prim world of period dramas.
Are these opinions valid? See for yourself in the trailer below!
“Wuthering Heights” is due out in February 2026.