The upcoming film adaptation of Emily Brontë's 1847 novel,Wuthering Heights, directed byEmerald Fennell(Saltburn), has generated a firestorm of comments following the release of its second full-length trailer. The film starsMargot Robbieas Catherine Earnshaw andJacob Elordias Heathcliff.
Fans Debate the 'Greatest Love Story'Marketing
Fennell's vision for the classic, set against the backdrop of the West Yorkshire moors, appears to emphasize the romance of the story. The trailer includes a title card describing the relationship between the star-crossed lovers as "the greatest love story of all time." This new framing of the story has become a point of contention among fans of the book, many of whom regard the novel as a cautionary tale of toxic obsession and revenge.
The trailer remains true to the novel's theme: the relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff, who meet as children and become entangled in a consuming adult affair. The footage includes several clips of kissing and crying in the rain, set to a new song, "Chains of Love," byCharli xcx, part of a soundtrack album to be released with the film. The story follows Cathy's choice to wed the wealthy Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif) for social status, which prompts a devastated Heathcliff to flee and promise revenge.
A pivotal scene in the trailer features Cathy (Robbie) asking, "What would you do, Heathcliff, if you were rich?" to which Heathcliff (Elordi) replies: "I suppose I'd do what all rich men do... Live in a big house, be cruel to my servants, take a wife."
Audience Reactions Highlight Interpretation Divide
The trailer's release prompted immediate and polarized feedback across social media platforms likeYouTubeandReddit. While some viewers loved the production's visual quality, commenting, "can we all appreciate that the cinematography, costume design, and production design all look stunning," others strongly objected to the apparent shift toward romance.
Several commenters questioned the romantic labeling, with one asking, "are there twoWuthering Heights? Cause the one I read was NOT a LOVE story." The interpretation of Heathcliff as a romantic figure, rather than the destructive 'monster' described by many readers, drew strong criticism. One Reddit user expressed frustration, arguing that the attempt at romanticizing the novel means "TurningWithering HeightsintoPride & Prejudiceis just wrong." Others stated that the book is "decidedly NOT the greatest romance of all time. It is not even a romance," calling the trailer's framing a "fundamental and seemingly intentional misinterpretation."
Some viewers expressed a willingness to separate the film from the book, with one person noting, "I will watch pretending it's an original film because I know if I watch it as an adaptation I'll hate it. It looks cool and interesting."
Wuthering Heightsis scheduled for release on February 13, 2026.
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This story was originally reported byParadeon Nov 14, 2025, where it first appeared in theNewssection. Add Parade as aPreferred Source by clicking here.
