Margot Robbie’s ‘Shocking’ Wuthering Heights Movie Teased: English Lit Fans Won’t Be Happy

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Lovers of literature often rank Wuthering Heights among the finest works in English literature. This novel by Emily Brontë tells the story of Heathcliff and his intense, tumultuous romance with Catherine. The upcoming movie adaptation, featuring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, is being described as “unconventional” by its casting director, who hints that traditional English Literature enthusiasts may not approve of it.

The novel by Emily Brontë has undergone numerous movie adaptations, with the 1939 version, starring Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon, being the most well-known. For the 2026 rendition, Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie are set to play the main characters. During a Q&A session at Scotland’s Sands Film Festival, casting director Kharmel Cochrane addressed the criticism surrounding the casting, as reported by Deadline.

Cochrane remarked, “One Instagram comment suggested the casting director should be fired, but after seeing it for yourself, you can decide if you’d like to fire me instead. However, there’s no need for precision. It’s just a work of fiction – not based on reality, but rather an expression of art.

It’s plausible that the warmth from filming could have affected Jacob Elordi’s complexion. Emily Brontë described Heathcliff as a “gypsy with dark skin” in her novel. For the first time, a Black actor portrayed Heathcliff in the 2011 adaptation, with James Howson playing the main role. Margot Robbie would be older than her character, Catherine, who is 18 in the book. However, it’s evident that Kharmel Cochrane recognized something unique in the two leads to make the drama film a success.

What did Wuthering Heights’ casting director say about the Margot Robbie movie?

Casting director Kharmel Cochrane teased on how she would describe Emerald Fennell‘s new movie:

Cochrane mentioned, “You’ll find the stage setup quite striking, if not downright shocking.” He added with a hint of mystery, “There might also be a dog collar involved in the design.

In other words, the raw animalistic aspect of Heathcliff and Catherine’s relationship as portrayed in the novel might not be as intense or graphic in the 2026 adaptation. Similar to many film adaptations of books, Kharmel Cochrane hints that this interpretation may not fully satisfy ardent book enthusiasts.

“There’s definitely going to be some English Lit fans that are not going to be happy.”

Kharmel Cochrane doesn’t provide a reason, but it’s possible that the Emerald Fennell-directed film will focus on the initial portion of Emily Bronte’s novel, which primarily explores Heathcliff and Catherine’s relationship, similar to previous adaptations. Moreover, as Wuthering Heights is more than 150 years old, this latest adaptation may feel compelled to revise its outdated themes to make them more resonant with contemporary viewers.

On February 13th, 2026, theatergoers can look forward to witnessing Emerald Fennell’s take on Wuthering Heights.

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2025-04-29 00:40