Wuthering Heights Adaptation Sparks Casting Controversy

Jacob Elordi stars as Heathcliff opposite Margot Robbie’s Catherine in Emerald Fennell’s upcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation, with Robbie producing through her LuckyChap banner. The casting has provoked debate because Emily Brontë described Heathcliff as a “dark-skinned gypsy” with “black eyes,” and critics have also noted that the actors are older than the novel’s teenage protagonists. Fans have reacted to the trailer’s erotic tone and Elordi’s styling — including a gold tooth and muttonchops — while Elordi has defended the film’s deliberate provocation and Fennell has said Elordi matches an early illustration of Heathcliff and praised Robbie’s casting. Fennell frames the project within her long-standing gothic interests and a raw, sexual reinterpretation of the novel. The film is scheduled for a worldwide release on February 13, 2026.