Emerald Fennell's new film adaptation of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, has debuted with a record-breaking Rotten Tomatoes score since the 1939 classic. The movie reinterprets the tale of obsessive love on the Yorkshire moors. Critics offer mixed views, praising its lush visuals while noting its superficial depth.
Emily Brontë's 1847 novel Wuthering Heights has inspired numerous adaptations, and the latest, directed and written by Emerald Fennell, arrived in 2026. Fennell, known for her 2023 film Saltburn—a garish satire that some see as a precursor to this project—casts Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff. In the New Yorker review, critic Justin Chang describes the leads as "a paper-doll Catherine and Heathcliff in an extravagantly superficial take," noting Elordi's portrayal as a "softer, more sleepy-eyed dreamboat" compared to past actors like Laurence Olivier in William Wyler's version or Ralph Fiennes in Peter Kosminsky's.
The Hollywood Reporter hails it as a "lush reinterpretation of the classic novel about obsessive love," with Robbie and Elordi "firing up Brontë." ScreenRant reports the film setting an all-time Rotten Tomatoes record since the 87-year-old classic, highlighting its strong critical reception upon debut.
Fennell's visual style draws parallels to Saltburn's estate settings, evoking Thrushcross Grange where Catherine marries the wealthy Edgar Linton in a loveless union. The story centers on the turbulent romance between Catherine and the brooding Heathcliff amid the wild Yorkshire landscape. While the film garners acclaim for its aesthetics and performances, some critiques point to a lack of emotional depth in exploring the novel's themes. Published reviews emerged on February 9, 2026, marking the film's timely buzz in the adaptation landscape.
