{"id":135093,"date":"2025-09-11T11:34:05","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T11:34:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/135093\/"},"modified":"2025-09-11T11:34:05","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T11:34:05","slug":"this-new-psychological-drama-based-on-a-bestselling-novel-is-already-2026s-biggest-cinematic-disappointment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/135093\/","title":{"rendered":"This New Psychological Drama Based on a Bestselling Novel Is Already 2026’s Biggest Cinematic Disappointment"},"content":{"rendered":"

The film industry is currently dominated by book-to-screen adaptations, so when it was announced that Emerald Fennell would be directing a Wuthering Heights<\/a> adaptation, there was a lot of excitement from cinephiles and readers alike. Emily Bront\u00eb\u2019s Wuthering Heights, published in 1847, is considered a classic of English literature, tackling themes of morality, religion, and the class divide of the Victorian era.<\/p>\n

While there have been many adaptations of the novel, both in film and TV, there has not been a notable adaptation in over a decade. While fans were initially intrigued by the news of Fennell directing, the recently released trailer has caused a lot of concern, with many feeling as though the film will be a very loose adaptation at best. From the casting to the oversexualization of the plot, fans are not thrilled with the look of this upcoming film.<\/p>\n

A Brief Summary of Wuthering Heights<\/p>\n

\"Tom<\/p>\n

Wuthering Heights follows the story of Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, who meet in their youth after Catherine\u2019s father returns from Liverpool with the orphaned Heathcliff. The story takes place over several years, with Heathcliff and Catherine forming romantic feelings for each other that cannot be acted on due to their differing social statuses. As the story progresses, Heathcliff takes a darker turn, swearing revenge on the people who wronged him due to his social status. The story was influenced by Gothic fiction and the Romantic era, with the dark subject matter and themes making it quite controversial at the time of its publication.<\/p>\n

There have been several screen adaptations of the novel, with the first being released in 1939, starring Merle Oberon as Catherine and Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff. Other notable adaptations include the 1992 version, which starred Ralph Fiennes as Heathcliff, and the two-part TV version in 2009, which starred Tom Hardy<\/a> as Heathcliff. While these adaptations are remembered fondly, they vary in book accuracy, so when Emerald Fennell was announced to direct a new adaptation set to release on Valentine\u2019s Day 2026, fans were curious to see what it would entail.<\/p>\n

Emerald Fennell Leads the Project as Director<\/p>\n

\"Close<\/p>\n

Emerald Fennell was an interesting choice when it came to directing Wuthering Heights. The English filmmaker has quite the r\u00e9sum\u00e9, particularly when it comes to her acting work in period pieces such as Anna Karenina and The Danish Girl. As a director, she made waves with 2020\u2019s Promising Young Woman, which earned her an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Fennell’s most notable work in recent years was 2023\u2019s Saltburn, starring Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi, who went on to work with Fennell again in Wuthering Heights, playing Heathcliff.<\/p>\n

While doing reasonably well critically, Saltburn was quite a controversial film. While a visual treat, the film\u2019s plot was rather divisive, following the story of Keoghans\u2019 Oliver as he tries obsessively to infiltrate a wealthy English family. The film was sensationalized due to its graphic sexual scenes, including the infamous bathtub scene, and the closing sequence<\/a> featuring a fully nude Keoghan dancing through the Catton Manor. Many fans were thus worried about Fennell and Elordi’s attachment to the Wuthering Heights adaptation, fearing that the film would focus more on the \u2018dark romance\u2019 between Heathcliff and Catherine rather than the class division that is so central to the plot.<\/p>\n

The Trailer Has Caused a Lot of Backlash<\/p>\n

For many fans of the novel, their fears were validated with the release of the trailer. While visually stunning, the trailer heavily focuses on the romance and sexual dynamic between Heathcliff and Catherine, with plenty of Saltburn-esque uncomfortably sensual shots, such as a pair of hands rolling dough, a plate of egg yolk, and a finger being inserted into the mouth of a fish. The trailer features several shots that vaguely convey the atmosphere of Wuthering Heights, with the opening shot featuring the moors and a few brief shots of Heathcliff and Catherine as children.<\/p>\n

The trailer is also set to a new version of the song, \u201cEverything is Romantic\u201d by Charli XCX, with it being confirmed that the artist will work on original music for the film. While some have voiced criticisms of this choice, several period films have featured trailers set to contemporary music. Examples include \u201cWar Pigs\u201d by Black Sabbath in 2023\u2019s Napoleon, and Jay-Z and Kanye West\u2019s \u201cNo Church in the Wild\u201d in the trailer for Gladiator II. These anachronistic sound designs help to create a relevant feel for the film to modern audiences, and are often excluded from the actual film.<\/p>\n

The Miscasting of Heathcliff<\/p>\n

\"Heathcliff<\/p>\n

The biggest issue fans have with the trailer for Wuthering Heights is the casting itself. While some book purists feel that Margot Robbie is too old to play Catherine, most of the criticism<\/a> has gone to Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff. The novel vaguely states that Heathcliff is a person of color, with the ambiguity of his ethnicity making sense in the context of the time the novel was written. While the novel does not give a concrete answer, the term \u201cdark-skinned\u201d is used to describe the character, as well as some outdated terms referring to Romani people and those of Indian or South East Asian descent. Most scholars generally agree that Heathcliff was either mixed race with African heritage (which makes sense given that the novel takes place during the transatlantic slave trade) or Romani.<\/p>\n

Elordi, however, is neither of these ethnicities, which has caused much backlash from fans. Some have argued that all the past adaptations featured caucasian actors playing Heathcliff, but given how much progress has been made in Hollywood in terms of racial representation in the past few decades, many refute that excuse. The 2011 adaptation actually featured the first Heathcliff played by a person of color, James Howson, so the 2026 version choosing Elordi feels like a step backwards for some fans. The biggest issue with this miscast is that it does actually affect the story, as Heathcliff\u2019s identity as an othered individual is tied to his racial identity, which ultimately causes the dark turn in his character arc, as he seeks revenge against the people who othered him for his social status.<\/p>\n

The Trailer Shifts the Tone of the Story<\/p>\n

\"wuthering-heights-margot-robbie\"<\/p>\n

The second issue fans have with this trailer is that it completely shifts the tone of the novel into something almost unrecognizable. While the novel does feature romance<\/a>, it is really about how the class divide affected Heathcliff and his turn to darkness. The trailer, however, seems to be marketing the film as a sexy period romance, evoking the atmosphere of a bodice ripper novel rather than Wuthering Heights.<\/p>\n

There have been a few reported test screening leaks that infer that the trailer barely scratches the surface of the film’s sexual content, and while there are certainly many viewers who will enjoy a Saltburn-esque take on Wuthering Heights, many fans wonder why the novel was chosen to be adapted at all. The romance featured in Wuthering Heights is tragic, made up mostly of Heathcliff and Catherine yearning for each other, rather than what is presented in the trailer.<\/p>\n

Some Fans Have Voiced Concern Over the Costume Design<\/p>\n

\"Margot<\/p>\n

Likely, the film will also feature a lot of anachronisms outside the soundtrack, with some fans taking issue with the costuming. One of the best aspects of period dramas is the costume design, helping to immerse the viewer in the world of the film\u2019s time setting. Some period films with well-received costume design include 2020\u2019s Emma (which takes place in the early 19th Century), 2007\u2019s Atonement (taking place in 1935-1940), and 2006\u2019s Marie Antoinette (taking place in the 18th Century).<\/p>\n

With Wuthering Heights taking place from the late 1700s to 1801, Catherine\u2019s wedding dress, seen in the trailer, doesn\u2019t feel accurate to the time setting. While some fans are annoyed by this costuming decision, many well-received period pieces feature inaccurate costuming, as they still manage to convey the general feel of the story\u2019s time setting.<\/p>\n

Is It Too Soon to Judge the Film?<\/p>\n

\"Jacob<\/p>\n

While social media is full of criticisms around the trailer, it is important to acknowledge that the film has not yet been released, so there is still room for Fennell to surprise fans. While many had hoped for a book-accurate adaptation of the story, there are plenty of well-received films based on classic novels that barely resemble the original story, such as Clueless<\/a> (based on 1815’s Emma) and Easy A. (based on 1850’s The Scarlet Letter). Many have noticed that the poster released alongside the trailer features quotation marks around the title, with some believing that this refers to the film very loosely adapting the source material.<\/p>\n

Others have argued, however, that this is merely an artistic choice for the poster, referencing how older films often had quotation marks around their title, including the 1939 Wuthering Heights film. The poster also seems to reference the look of many classic film posters, with Gone with the Wind in particular standing out as a clear inspiration. While Saltburn was heavily criticized, it did receive a lot of positive reviews, so there is a chance that Fennell will give fans an interesting, albeit very different, adaptation of the novel.<\/p>\n

\"wuthering-heights-2026-poster.jpeg\"<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tWuthering Heights
\n\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

Release Date<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFebruary 13, 2026<\/p>\n

Director<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEmerald Fennell<\/p>\n

Writers<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tEmerald Fennell<\/p>\n

Producers<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMargot Robbie<\/p>\n

\"Margot<\/p>\n

Margot Robbie<\/p>\n

\n Catherine Earnshaw\n <\/p>\n

\"instar53014574.jpg\"<\/p>\n

\"instar52548180.jpg\"<\/p>\n

\"instar53530607.jpg\"<\/p>\n

Alison Oliver<\/p>\n

\n Isabella Linton\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The film industry is currently dominated by book-to-screen adaptations, so when it was announced that Emerald Fennell would…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":135094,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[64,63,134,344],"class_list":["post-135093","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-movies","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-entertainment","tag-movies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135093","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=135093"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/135093\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/135094"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=135093"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=135093"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=135093"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}