Wuthering Heights: From Emily Brontë's Novel to the 2026 Film Adaptation

How a story of destructive 19th-century love has found its voice on screen for over 80 years.

A new adaptation of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights arrives in theaters February 12. The latest film version promises a more contemporary take on the story of destructive love, social barriers, and revenge passed down across generations.

More on Wuthering Heights and its earlier adaptations — read on in this article.

About Emily Brontë's Novel

Wuthering Heights is the only novel by English writer Emily Brontë, first published in 1847 under the pen name Ellis Bell.

The book initially sparked sharp criticism and shock over its dark themes: destructive passion, cruelty, social conflict, and the absence of a clear moral arc, which set it apart from typical Victorian-era romance plots.

Emily's sister, writer Charlotte Brontë, even had to publicly apologize for her sister in the preface to the first edition. But despite the initial criticism, the novel quickly gained popularity for its emotional intensity and became a classic of English literature.

The plot unfolds across the cold, wild moors of Yorkshire. The protagonist is Heathcliff, an orphan taken in by Mr. Earnshaw. The boy grows up alongside the household's daughter, Catherine, and a powerful but tragic bond forms between them.

When Catherine, under the weight of social expectations, marries the wealthier Edgar Linton, Heathcliff feels pain and betrayal that awaken a brutal desire for revenge. Having built up his wealth, he returns and takes revenge on those who hurt him, destroying the Earnshaw and Linton families, and his obsession with Catherine continues even after her death.

The Guardian's Samantha Ellis has pointed to the novel's pervasive violence — Heathcliff endures abuse from Cathy's brother, Hindley, who he later pushes toward self-destructive drinking, notes the writer for The Guardian.

What We Know About the 2026 Wuthering Heights Adaptation

The new film drew attention from critics and audiences as soon as the teaser dropped, particularly because of who's behind the camera. The project's director is Emerald Fennell, who previously made "Promising Young Woman" and "Saltburn".

The cast of Wuthering Heights includes Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. Also joining the cast are Hong Chau, Alison Oliver, and Shazad Latif. The young versions of the leads are played by Charlotte Mellington, Vi Nguyen, and Owen Cooper.

The 2026 film offers a contemporary take on the classic story of Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. The story is told from the characters' youth, showing how their passionate, often selfish feelings turn into a source of revenge, mutual grievance, and psychological trauma.

The director paid particular attention to the characters' inner worlds, underscoring love's darker sides and its consequences.

The Scandals Surrounding the New Wuthering Heights

Ever since its first announcement, the new 2026 Wuthering Heights adaptation has been criticized on social media over a string of controversial moments — from contested casting to on-set incidents.

The filming process drew attention from paparazzi first and foremost: the first published photos showed the lead actress in a wedding dress amid foggy landscapes, which sparked debate over how historically accurate the costumes were for the novel's era.

The choice of actors also fueled discussion: social media users noted that 27-year-old Elordi and 36-year-old Robbie seemed too old for the roles, since for most of Brontë's novel, Catherine and Heathcliff are still teenagers.

On top of that, some fans and critics argued that Emily Brontë originally described the character as 'dark-skinned' or a 'Lascar' — a 19th-century term for South Asian sailors. Because of this, casting Elordi in the lead role was called 'whitewashing' and a disregard for the novel's historical context.

The discussion also touched on the role of the Brontë Museum, which links Heathcliff's origins to the transatlantic slave trade and the character's potential 'Black African' heritage.

Earlier Adaptations of Wuthering Heights

Emily Brontë's novel has been adapted for the screen many times — and each version offered its own take on the complex story. Beyond the new 2026 film, there have already been 15 adaptations of the book, five of them TV series.

One of the best-known classic adaptations was made by William Wyler, still in black and white, back in 1939. In 1954, meanwhile, Luis Buñuel made a free interpretation in Mexico, titled Abismos de Pasión ('Abysses of Passion'), where the plot, character names, and setting were all changed.

Later versions tried to capture the novel's full plot and emotional character. In 1992, for instance, Peter Kosminsky made a film with Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche that covered most of the book's events and supporting characters. In 2011, Andrea Arnold made a bleak, atmospheric film with special attention to the Yorkshire moors' landscape and the characters' 'raw' emotional energy.

On television, Wuthering Heights has had several adaptations. Among the best known are the British 1967 version, with Ian McShane as Heathcliff, the BBC's 1978 production, and the 2009 miniseries with Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley.

Wuthering Heights still captivates readers and audiences today with its complexity and unexpected plot turns. The novel blends passion, revenge, and social conflict, showing toxic relationships and its characters' moral contradictions.