If you’re a “Wuthering Heights” purist, this 2026 film version may not be for you. If you are a fan of the 1847 book written by Emily Brontë, and you’re burning with curiosity about this, then kill your darlings.
This is very much director Emerald Fennels’ “Wuthering Heights.” There are many reasons this would have people divided — there will be those bothered by how certain characters are missing or changed up, they may not like portrayal of the relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff, or by the casting of Jacob Elordi.
Heathcliff in the book has been described as “dark skinned,” with hints of him being Romani or Lascar (Indian, Southeast Asian). Without casting Heathcliff as such, class and race issues are not fully addressed.
The book has become a classic, people return to the story again and again. There are countless screen adaptations of “Wuthering Heights.” There’s been a 90’s version produced by MTV, a TV movie called “Wuthering High School,” we even had a Philippine take on it: Carlos Siguion-Reyna’s 1991 “Hihintayin Kita Sa Langit” with Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta.
The cliffs and crashing waves of Batanes was our version of the Yorkshire Moors. After all, a good adaptation needs that dramatic landscape, the wind and the rain. This is where all the best brooding is done, no? Margot Robbie (Catherine) and Heathcliff are constantly wet and drenched in the rain, in cold weather, it’s as if pneumonia doesn’t exist — neither of them catch it.
Emerald Fennell is crazy — and I mean this in a good way. I am a fan of her previous films, “Promising Young Woman” and “Saltburn.” She likes crossing lines, and thinking up some pretty wild, strange, erotic scenarios. Her work is also peppered by the odd and darkly funny.
Helping her achieve her grand, bizarre, gothic vision for “Wuthering Heights” is the outstanding work of cinematographer Linus Sandgren. Together with production designer Suzie Davis, the visuals reveal both beauty and devastation. We go from an estate in ruins, to the luxurious Thrushcross Grange, to dark red skies, and vast windy moors.
Jaqueline Durand’s costumes are highlighted in a post-wedding montage at Thrushcross with Catherine living a charmed life if only but for a moment. A brief respite where it seems all everyone does is pick and outfit and what frivolous activity to engage in for the day.
Adding to the mood is Anthony Willis’ score, intertwined with original songs by Charli XCX. Fennell gets some erotic scenes in without any nudity. I don’t think there will be as much sexual tension in hand holding as there was in Martin Scorsese’s “The Age of Innocence.” But they do try here, too.
There are powerful performances all around by Jacob Elordi, Hong Chau, Owen Cooper (“Adolescence”) and Martin Clunes.
I suppose “Wuthering Heights” and the tale of Catherine and Heathcliff endures because there’s a part of us drawn to the dark side of love — although obsession might be the better term. Because, ultimately tragedy lies in the wake of the passion, jealousy, rage, vengeful, and often childish behavior of these “lovers” who just keep emotionally torturing each other.
The consensus is, this is no romance. It is a gothic tragedy. Something for Halloween, instead of Valentine’s.
There’s a lot to talk about after watching this movie — whether you liked it or not.
“Wuthering Heights” is out in cinemas and at the Imax.