Wuthering Heights
Photo courtesy of Tima Miroschnichenko/Pexels
On Feb. 13, 2026, the brand-new adaptation of the classic novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë is set to premiere in theaters around the world, and set the worlds of both classic literature and film aflame with discussion and debate.
Wuthering Heights, originally published in London in 1847, is an extremely influential piece of classic literature primarily classified as gothic fiction. The story also falls into categories such as romance, realism, Victorian literature, and psychological thrillers. This is highly relevant to the growing concern about whether or not this movie will be loyal to the original story.
Since it is premiering the day before Valentine's Day, it has been heavily marketed as a romance. Although there is a brooding romance between characters Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, classic literature enthusiasts worry that the tragic storyline and deeper meaning will be lost in a showing of romance and lust. Adding to the worry, the casting for the film raised alarm in many who are anticipating the release.
Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie, both deemed as very attractive Hollywood actors, will fill the roles of Heathcliff and Catherine. Elordi has a fanbase that consists heavily of “fan-girls.” His fans, after seeing him in The Kissing Booth (2018), Euphoria (2019- ), Saltburn (2023), and Priscilla (2023) as the illustrious Elvis Presley, have given him praise for being swoon-worthy. If you type his name into TikTok, you will be met with thousands of Jacob Elordi edits. Similarly, Margot Robbie is known for her portrayal of highly sexualized characters in films like The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Suicide Squad (2016), and Barbie (2023). In an interview with Vogue, Margot commented on Barbie: “She is sexualized. But she should never be sexy...” Both of these A-list actors carry a fanbase centered heavily upon their appearance, which Wuthering Heights fans worry will overpower the gothic masterpiece that the story is in a cloud of romance and physical attraction.
There is another appearance-based potential problem that arises with the upcoming movie. Heathcliff, in the novel, is described by Emily Brontë as dark-skinned and is most likely Romani, whereas Jacob Elordi is white. The race of actors in movie remakes and adaptations is an ongoing topic of debate in Hollywood. People argue back and forth on whether or not certain ethnicities are relevant to the plot. For example, when introduced in the novel, Heathcliff’s appearance sparks an instant dislike and distrust in many of the characters, which, given the time period and location, makes sense for a person of non-European descent. His race and social status also possibly contribute to the forbidden love between him and Catherine, a white woman born into a wealthy family. Contrastingly, others argue that it was never specified what ethnicity Heathcliff truly was, making it entirely irrelevant to the development of the story.
There have been many adaptations of the classic throughout the years. According to IMDb, there have been six movies and one TV series with the title “Wuthering Heights,” the first one dating back to 1939. However, upon further research on Rotten Tomatoes, I discovered that there was a silent drama film from the year 1920, which was the first official film adaptation of the book. Unfortunately, it is categorized as a lost film. All of these adaptations featured a white actor as Heathcliff, except the 2011 version, featuring James Howson as Heathcliff, an actor of Afro-Caribbean descent.
On Friday, Feb. 13, we will be able to witness the worlds of both film and classic literature light on fire with conversations of “race lifting,” sexualization, and loyalty to original plots. Even through all of the controversy, we can only hope that through the new adaptation, younger generations will fall in love with classic stories such as Wuthering Heights, and keep the stories alive for generations to come.