Why do fans not like Margot Robbie's 'Wuthering Heights'?
What's the story
The upcoming adaptation of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights by Emerald Fennell has sparked a major controversy. The first look at Margot Robbie in a modern wedding dress and Jacob Elordi's casting as Heathcliff has led to heated debates about historical accuracy and representation. Fans have also criticized Robbie's age and appearance for not matching the characters in Brontë's 1847 novel. Let's break down the backlash.
Casting concerns
Robbie's age and looks raised eyebrows
One major concern was Robbie's casting as Catherine Earnshaw. The character is a teenager in the novel, but Robbie is 35. Fans also felt that her blonde hair didn't match the book's description of Catherine having dark-brown locks. Critics have slammed the adaptation for butchering accuracy, especially with Catherine's wedding dress. While some claimed wearing white on weddings wasn't popular during Brontë's time, others have taken offense to the design of Robbie's dress, which is closer to Victorian period fashion.
Racial representation
Heathcliff's casting ignited racial debates
The loudest backlash came with Elordi's role as Heathcliff. In the novel, Heathcliff is described as a "gypsy" kid and "dark-skinned," and often referred to in ways that highlight his racial ambiguity. Many interpretations suggest that the author intentionally left his background open to interpretation, pointing to possibilities of Romani, African, or South Asian origins. But now, by casting Elordi, the adaptation erased Heathcliff's racial aspects.
Antagonist roles
Casting of Edgar, Nelly also faced backlash
The controversy deepened with the casting of Shazad Latif and Hong Chau. Latif, who is part Pakistani, was cast as Edgar Linton, while Chau, who is Vietnamese, was set to play Nelly. Both characters are known for treating Heathcliff poorly in the novel. Fans saw this as a troubling choice and argued that assigning actors of color to antagonist roles where they are seen torturing a white actor could be problematic.
Defense
Response to criticism
In response to the massive online criticism, Wuthering Heights's casting director Kharmel Cochrane defended the choices. Speaking at the Sands Film Festival in Scotland, she insisted there was "no need to be accurate" because Wuthering Heights is "just a book." Her comments suggested that artistic interpretation mattered more than strict faithfulness to Brontë's text, which only fueled more debates online.
Release date
After teaser release, fans slammed erotic tone
Despite the controversies, Wuthering Heights is releasing on February 11, 2026. Its first teaser was dropped recently, and fans found themselves fuming at the erotic tone of the film. One X user wrote, "If Emerald Fennell wanted to make an erotic period drama, I wish she would have just used an original story instead of whitewashing Wuthering Heights." "Aside from being shot like a weirdly erotic Instagram cooking reel, this seems like it completely misunderstands Wuthering Heights," said another.