Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights full trailer was released in early September 2025, and it’s shaping up to be one of the most controversial movie releases of 2026. The teaser trailer features a hyper-pop soundtrack, erotic imagery, and more unsettling visuals that have become familiar staples of Fennell’s work.
Add to that a set of polarizing casting choices and audiences are left wondering: will Fennell’s version of Wuthering Heights resemble Emily Brontë’s gothic classic at all?
To be or not to be ‘Saltburnified’
After the release of the teaser fans have taken to platforms like TikTok, X and Youtube to voice their critiques of the sneak peak. Many worry the film will be “Saltburnified” .
The comparison isn’t entirely unfair: in a 2023 interview with Buzzfeed Fennell cited Wuthering Heights as an influence for Saltburn. More specifically, an influence for the graveyard scene... yes that graveyard scene.
The release of the trailer confirmed that Charlie XCX will contribute two original songs to the film, adding a modern twist to the classic tale.
Released images from the film and the teaser scattered with hyper-pop and flashing images of hands in mouths, slimy fish, and tightened corsets have bolstered fan’s curiosity and their critiques. Leaving audiences to wonder if the film plans to be more of an erotic reworking of the book rather than a faithful adaptation.
Polarizing casting in Wuthering Heights
The most talked about issue readers and fans of Wuthering Heights have with Fennell's adaptation are her casting choices.
In the novel Heathcliff is imagined as dark skinned and visibly different in status from the other characters at Wuthering Heights.
While previous adaptations of the film have cast white actors in the role of Heathcliff many fans hoped a 2026 adaptation of the film would cast a Romani man in the role, saying the choice was a missed opportunity to cast a person of color.
Fans on Tiktok and X argue that the erasure of Heathcliff’s race and background from the story of Wuthering Heights risks the strength of its narrative, which centers around challenging class structures and explores the darker aspects of Victorian society. Readers argue that Heathcliff's struggles as a character are directly tied to his sense of otherness.
The casting of Margot Robbie in the role of Catherine Earnshaw has also raised some eyebrows.
In the novel, Catherine is 15 years old when she meets Heathcliff. While less controversial than Heathcliff’s casting, Fennell’s choice to cast Margot Robbie in the film has drawn skepticism from fans who feel the role demands a younger, less polished actress. With the erotic framing of her character in the trailer, many believe Fennell’s adaptation of Catherine will be entirely different from Brontë’s original.
The backlash against the trailer and released photos of the film raises some interesting questions about how closely adaptations of movies should remain to classic materials. Fans of Fennell’s work think the film will be a modern adaptation of the story and are waiting to see the movie before making any final judgments.
One thing is for sure, fans are bracing themselves for whatever this version of Wuthering Height has in store for us this Valentine’s Day.
Directed by Emerald Fennell, Wuthering Heights hits theatres Friday, Feb. 14.
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