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Why Is The New ‘Wuthering Heights’ Movie Stirring Controversy? Casting And Marketing Draw Criticism
Emerald Fennell's adaptation of 'Wuthering Heights' features provocative sexual themes and controversial casting choices, sparking mixed reactions from early audiences and critics.
- Emerald Fennell directed a new adaptation of Emily Brontë's 1847 novel Wuthering Heights starring Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff and Margot Robbie as Catherine, with the first trailer released in September 2025.
- The casting of Elordi, a white actor, as Heathcliff sparked controversy due to Heathcliff's ambiguous, often interpreted nonwhite background and themes of racial prejudice in the novel.
- The trailer's erotic tone, highlighted by Charli XCX's upbeat song 'Everything Is Romantic' and suggestive scenes, caused concern among fans that the film might dilute the novel's darker themes of violence, race, and social class.
- Kharmel Cochrane, the film’s casting director, responded to criticism by emphasizing that strict fidelity to the original novel isn’t necessary, and she acknowledged that some fans of English literature may be displeased with Fennell’s bold and contemporary interpretation.
- The film's controversy reveals ongoing debates on race, fidelity, and marketing in adaptations, suggesting audience reception will be influenced by tensions over representation and tone before its theatrical release.
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Why New 'Wuthering Heights' Film Has Sparked Controversy Among Fans
Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie’s Wuthering Heights is one of the most highly anticipated films of 2026 — but the latest adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel has faced a fair share of controversy from the very start. Brontë’s 1847 novel follows the Earnshaw and Linton families during late 18th century England. The story focuses on Earnshaw’s foster son Heathcliff, who falls in love with foster sister Catherine. While the pair begin an inten…
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Can a Lusty, Sex-Hungry Margot Robbie Save Literature’s Most Boring Novel*?
The thing about Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights is that it is a painfully boring slog. And it shouldn't be! It is a novel about an orphan who claws his way up from nothing, a toxic romance that spans decades, insane... Read more...
Coverage Details
Total News Sources14
Leaning Left6Leaning Right4Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Left
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left
50% Left
L 50%
C 17%
R 33%
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