It was recently announced that Wuthering Heights, the 1847 novel by Emily Brontë, is being adapted for the screen at Warner Bros. Pictures. The leading director is Emerald Fennell, and the casting director is Kharmel Cochrane, who was involved in the award-winning Nosferatu and Saltburn.
For those who got through high school and college without having to read the novel, it's a dark, psychological thriller with Gothic horror undertones—and also a love story. That's the power of Emily Brontë, who published just one novel in her lifetime.
Wuthering Heights has a massive fanbase of readers committed to the novel's symbolism and layers, and they're eager for a film adaptation that accurately portrays both the beauty and creepiness of the story.
This isn't the first time that Wuthering Heights has been adapted to the screen, but a recurring issue has been the leading lady, Catherine Earnshaw, being older than written, and Heathcliff being played by a white actor while he was written as "dark-skinned" and as a "ragged, dark-haired child... as dark almost as if it came from the devil."
Naturally, fans had hoped that those involved with casting the film might have learned from earlier missteps.
Alas.
The first big reveal was that 34-year-old Margot Robbie was cast as 18-year-old Catherine Earnshaw, and 27-year-old Jacob Elordi as the tumultuous Heathcliff, the foster son of the Earnshaw family.
They can be in the movie but not as Catherine and heathcliff
— twitch.tv/cottagegoddess_ (@cottagegoddess_) September 24, 2024
They’re both so wrong for both parts it’s not even funny
— Violet Purple 🦋 (@pilotaparda) September 23, 2024
Love both especially Margot but this is very odd casting. It seems two big names were just thrown at the project.
— Uberdelenafan (@LambertCle22583) September 23, 2024
Cathy’s entire thing is that she is an uncertain, messy teenager and we have 30-something Margot Robbie in that role. Just why…..
And Heathcliff is NOT supposed to be white. Period. The optics of casting a POC might be difficult but still.
— M| FREE PALESTINE 🇵🇸 (@MandMandmoreMs) September 23, 2024
isn’t Cathy supposed to be teen? Margot is pushing 40
— JOVANA (@imjovielol) April 14, 2025
“He is a dark-skinned gipsy in aspect, in dress and manners a gentleman…” - Emily Brontë
— disco & Donuts 🌈 (@discoanddonuts) April 22, 2025
Aside all the good critics based on casting and costume pieces shown till now, at best, I can see her as more fitted to play Isabella Linton rather than Cathy Earnshaw. Also, Jacob Elordi could be a better option for Hareton Earnshaw rather than Heathcliff
— 🦇🔪HorrorBarbie🔪🦇 (@HorrorBarbieF) April 13, 2025
How many times are they going to ignore the fact heathcliff is canonically a man of colour?
— amna (@huaisangberry1) September 23, 2024
Heathcliff’s racial ambiguity is central to Wuthering Heights. Artistic license shouldn’t erase that. #WutheringHeights #AdaptationDebate
— ッ𝙱𝚁𝚄𝙲𝙴ᴹᴵ (@DhanushBruce03) April 28, 2025
Do i love them both? Yes. Does this make 0 sense for the casting? Yes.
— Toria (@toriaa_h) September 24, 2024
When Kharmel Cochrane responded to the backlash, she managed only to fan the flames by dismissing the source material.
"There was one Instagram comment that said the casting director should be shot, but just wait 'til you see it, and then you can decide whether you want to shoot me or not."
"But you really don't need to be accurate. It's just a book. That is not based on real life. It's all art."
"Years ago, I would get people saying, 'Did you read the brief?' And I'd say, 'Yeah, and this is my interpretation of it, just like when you read a book.'"
Cochrane then drove the knife even deeper, promising this was just the beginning of her creative license.
"There are even more shocking differences to come. There's definitely going to be some English Lit fans that are not going to be happy."
"Wait until you see the set design because that is even more shocking. And there may or may not be a dog collar in it."
Fans wondered why Cochrane even wanted to work on the project.
“But you really don’t need to be accurate. It’s just a book” STOP HIRING PEOPLE WHO DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE SOURCE MATERIAL
— 𝓔𝓶 💫 (@emkenobi) April 28, 2025
Dear one, Emily Brontë died at 30. Wuthering Heights was her only novel and was/is/always will be considered one of the great literary classics.
Hope that helps.
— Austin Butler's Unofficial Publicist (@ABUnofficial100) April 28, 2025
"it's just a book" NO it definitely wasn't just a book for emily brontë. and if you can respect the author maybe you shouldn't be allowed to use their work to make your own thing. you're an artist? good BE CREATIVE and write your own original story if you can
— cami🦋 ᵇʳⁱᵍʰᵗᵉʳ ᵈᵃʸˢ (@oasisraindrops) April 28, 2025
just get a new director and recast, the whole point of adapting books into movies is to see the story in live action, not a spinoff of it
— Expiry (@ExpiryYT) April 28, 2025
Why would you take a movie that only English Lit fans will be excited for & then purposely make something you think will upset them? Why does Hollywood insist on doing this?
— im nobody but i am someone (@transcended) April 28, 2025
Just lighting money on fire. Who is the audience for this once they alienate the English Lit fans? How many times must they learn the same lesson?
— Daniel Friedman (@DanFriedman81) April 28, 2025
“it’s just a book” exactly what you want to hear for an adaptation
— SaintCherry🦎 (@SaintDCherry) April 28, 2025
If that's their stance, why choose to adapt books or existing IPs into movies or series? Why not create original stories instead? It doesn't add up at all. Seems like Hollywood's main goal is just maximizing profits.
— 𝖒𝖚𝖋𝖆𝖟𝖆 (@rd_mufaza) April 28, 2025
Ooo I was with you and you lost me at”it’s just a book”. Don’t do that to people’s homes, people build lives around books and literature, nothing is ever “just a book” it doesn’t have to based on real life for your to respect literature.
— Lizbeth Meza (@Lizbeth_Meza95) April 28, 2025
Withering heights has never been adapted correctly. How can such a masterpiece never found a director to properly serve it? That’s crazy.
— caromimosa (@carocoquelicot) April 28, 2025
Cochrane is not wrong in saying that "it's all art," but as Wuthering Heights fans have so perfectly pointed out, it's also important to honor source material when it exists.
Wuthering Heights is a classic for good reason, and casting people who might accurately portray Brontë's characters seems like a reasonable ask.
The fact that Cochrane has teased about playing with different aspects of the story because "it's just a book" and "it's all art" is a huge disappointment.
@Variety/X
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