Emerald Fenning’s “Wuthering Heights” was one of the much-awaited films arriving in Valentine’s 2026, and critics and fans have been divided since it came out. Here are our thoughts.

“Wuthering Heights” (2026)

Produced, written, and directed by Emerald Fennell, this film is very loosely based on Emily Bronte’s 1847 novel of the same name. According to Fennell, she wanted to “recreate the feeling of a teenage girl reading this book for the first time” and reinterpreted the original work.

This loose adaptation centers on the toxic, obsessive relationship between Catherine Earnshaw (played by Margot Robbie) and Heathcliff (played by Jacob Elordi), following their lives and tragedies from childhood to adulthood.

Our thoughts on “Wuthering Heights”

Say what you want about the modern adaptation of this film, but you can’t deny Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi delivered stellar performances. They made us believe they were truly obsessively in love. What made us appreciate their roles more was the effective use of makeup and wardrobe, which perfectly captured different stages of their lives.

Cinematography was gorgeous, and nearly every frame looks like a painting come to life. The score tied up every scene perfectly, and we can’t wait to hear the album once it is released. We are kind of obsessed with Charli XCX’s songs.

Story-wise, we understand why there’s much outrage over this film being called an “adaptation” of Emily Bronte’s only novel. It’s a very loose adaptation, if at all, and director Emerald Fenning took so many liberties that novel readers can barely recognize the original work in the film.

The best way to enjoy this film is to treat it as a stand-alone film that simply shares names of characters and places with the classic novel. We did that, and we enjoyed it. There’s just something special about watching this film in a theater and hearing the audience collectively gasp at the same scenes.

Our verdict: Watch it or skip it?

So should you watch or not? It depends on you.

Purists might want to skip this film. Fans of the novel would have to wait once more for another film to do a faithful adaptation.

Meanwhile, non-novel readers can enjoy the drama, the yearning, and the unhingedness of Emerald Fenning’s “Wuthering Heights.”

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Header photos from Warner Bros. Pictures