Emerald Fennell’s fiery reimagining of Wuthering Heights is finally taking shape, with the first full-length trailer offering a deeper look at her passionate and provocative adaptation of Emily Brontë’s 1847 classic. The Saltburn writer-director leans into the novel’s intensity, calling it “the greatest love story of all time,” and the new footage delivers exactly that — but with Fennell’s signature bite.
A Tortured Romance on the Yorkshire Moors
The trailer traces the lives of star-crossed lovers Catherine Earnshaw (Margot Robbie) and Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) from their childhood meeting to the combustible, all-consuming relationship they share as adults. Set against the wild West Yorkshire moors, the film highlights the jealousy, possessiveness, cruelty, and yearning that made Brontë’s novel so enduring — and so controversial.
In one standout moment, Robbie’s Cathy asks Heathcliff what he’d do if he were rich. His chilling reply:
“I suppose I’d do what all rich men do — live in a big house, be cruel to my servants, take a wife.”
A Story of Love, Class, and Revenge
Staying true to the novel, Cathy marries Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif) to protect her social standing, leaving Heathcliff devastated. His departure sets the stage for revenge, obsession, and a love story marked by emotional violence and unbreakable attachment.
The trailer also features raw scenes of the pair kissing and crying in the rain, set to “Chains of Love”, an original track by Charli XCX from a companion album releasing alongside the film in February.
Emerald Fennell’s Signature Style on Full Display
Aside from the emotional intensity, viewers can spot anachronistic costumes, bold color palettes, and surreal flourishes that have become hallmarks of Fennell’s filmmaking. The trailer ends with Heathcliff whispering to Cathy:
“So kiss me, and let us both be damned.”
It’s the kind of line that signals exactly the type of heightened drama Fennell is leaning into.
Early Controversy and Casting Debates
Even before the trailer dropped, Fennell’s adaptation drew heated debate.
Some questioned Margot Robbie’s age for a character often imagined as a young maiden, while others pushed back against Jacob Elordi’s casting, noting Heathcliff’s original description suggests a darker, Romany appearance.
A test screening earlier this year also stirred conversation. One attendee described the movie as “aggressively provocative and tonally abrasive,” referencing a shocking hanging scene where the condemned man ejaculates during execution — a moment already fueling online discourse.
Fennell Responds: “I’ve Been Obsessed With This Book Since I Was 14”
Speaking at the Brontë Women’s Writing Festival, Fennell defended her approach, saying the novel “cracked me open” when she first read it.
“I’ve been obsessed. I’ve been driven mad by this book,” she said. “It’s incredibly personal, incredibly illicit. The way we relate to Cathy and Heathcliff is deeply private.”
She added that adapting it was “an act of extreme masochism,” acknowledging the novel’s intense mix of passion, cruelty, and taboo themes.
“There’s an enormous amount of sado-masochism in this book. There’s a reason people were deeply shocked by it,” Fennell noted.
Release Date
Wuthering Heights will hit cinemas on Valentine’s Day 2026 — a fittingly dramatic release date for a love story defined by obsession, passion, and destruction.
