Who does not enjoy a hopelessly romantic love story? Everyone watching “Heated Rivalry” certainly did, since most definitely were not there just for the hockey. Stories like that give us hope, while others can break our hearts.
“Wuthering Heights” is a romantic drama period piece inspired by Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel. Emerald Fennell, an Academy and BAFTA award winner, directs this adaptation. Fennell’s previous works include roles in films like “Albert Nobbs” (2011), shows including “The Crown” (2019-2020), as well as directing “Saltburn” (2023).
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi were chosen for the main roles of Catherine and Heathcliff in late 2024. Elordi’s casting sparked controversy as the original character of Heathcliff was described as a “dark-skinned gypsy.” Fennell defended her decision by stating that he looked exactly like the illustration she had seen of the character when she first read the book.
The film follows a young Catherine and Heathcliff who grow together, eventually falling in love. The heartfelt and honest feeling between the two is captured perfectly by Robbie and Elordi, at times becoming overwhelming and dangerous.
“Wuthering Heights” takes place in the late 18th century, with Fennell’s adaptation capturing the essence of the time period strategically through location and infrastructure. The costumes, however, were a modernized take on the fashion of the time period, adding a whimsical touch to the movie.
Catherine and Heathcliff’s characters are, from the very beginning, doomed. The stark difference in their upbringings blossoms into a fiery, painful, and erotic tale of love.
Supporting roles included actors and actresses Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes and Ewan Mitchell. Robbie also helped produce the film under LuckyChap Entertainment. She had previously produced Fennell’s films “Promising Young Woman” (2020) and “Saltburn” (2023).
Chau, who plays Nelly, an assistant in the household the two grow up in. She acts as Catherine’s angel on her shoulder, or devil in the young woman’s eyes. She does what is best for the entire family, even if it costs Catherine the one thing she desperately wants.
Filming began from January to April 2025, with 35 mm VistaVision cameras and Linus Sandgren at the helm. Filming locations included the Yorkshire Dales and its national park, as well as the valleys of Arkengarthdale and Swedendale. The village of Low Row, gave the film its historic and aged feel.
The cinematography captures the beauty that is the nature surrounding the characters and their settings. Vast canyons, lush greenery and eroded forestry create an environment of feeling, one that is just as big as the events that unfold throughout the film.
The soundtrack for the film was composed by Anthony Willis, who had worked with Fennell on “Saltburn.” Pop singer Charli xcx would also contribute an album of original songs, after receiving a text from Fennell and reading the screenplay. Consisting of 12 tracks, the album perfectly captures the events of the film in its electronic-classical theme. Charli described her work as an “elegant and brutal sound palette.”
The temperamental soundtrack and its modernized sound also transcend the main message of the film, which could be interpreted as a love story so powerful that it breaks beyond its time period.
Marketing and promotion for the film began in late 2025, with its first trailer paying homage to “Gone with the Wind” (1939). Billboards were placed in multiple cities, including New York City, London and Los Angeles. The film title was stylized with quotations, as Fennell herself said, “any adaptation of a novel” should be enclosed in them.
Despite the film’s setting, the use of contemporary fashion choices gives an “Alice in Wonderland” spin to the otherwise classic story. Yet, the story itself is an adaptation, finding new ways to create a version so new that it makes it feel like a completely different story at times.
Lavish corsets, beautifully striking color palettes and a mix of Victorian-era costuming with current-day trends create a timeless and innovative wardrobe for the characters. The makeup and hairstyles evoke a sense of evolutionary fashion, conjuring the emotions felt by the characters in each scene.
The pair have a chemistry that can hold its own, but at times can be overshadowed by the sheer force of production and set design. Nevertheless, the two encapsulate the heated and steamy romance that their characters find themselves in.
Overall, “Wuthering Heights” stands out as its own mischievous, almost erotic take on the original novel, combining a modern soundtrack and costume design with an accurate setting and dialogue to feel like a very real world. Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi bring an intense and passionate romance that might scare some, but also remind others of love’s true meaning, no matter how dangerous it may be.
