“Everything is romantic”—until it isn’t. A simple, one-minute trailer has sparked controversy in two popular media realms: film and literature. Wuthering Heights, a popular classic written by Victorian-era author Emily Brontë, has been transformed once again into a film adaptation. Wuthering Heights follows the young Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw, whose love is tested by social constructs, betrayal, and tragedy that affects generations.
The first of six movie adaptations of this book came out in 1939, starring Laurence Olivier (Heathcliff) and Merle Oberon (Catherine). The main actors cast in this first adaptation looked similar to that of the 2026 movie— with both leading stars being portrayed by white individuals— but without the scrutiny.
Considering the time period, it was rare to see POC (people of color) being cast in films, especially in huge roles. So, although the original Brontë novel heavily alludes to Heathcliff being a POC, the 1939 movie wouldn’t strive to fulfill that perception, as social constructs outweighed the need for inclusivity.
What’s ruffling the feathers of critics today is the fact that there is an open availability of POC actors who could fit into the role of Heathcliff— and yet— that representation was ultimately denied; the 2026 cast features already popular stars, Margot Robbie (Catherine) and Jacob Elordi (Heathcliff). The question arises as to what the 2026 movie’s conflict will revolve around, if not the struggle of an interracial relationship.
Critics have claimed that the original conflicts of the novel are not accurately represented through the cast; Margot Robbie cannot realistically portray a young Catherine, nor can Jacob Elordi showcase the struggle of a POC being in love with a white woman during that time period. Online, people even took to creating their own “fancasts”, in which they proposed actors and actresses they would choose to play in roles of movies. Rising British-Indian actor Dev Patel has been a popular replacement pick for Heathcliff.
Beyond the cast, many feel that the trailer of the movie has stepped too far away from the original source material. Charli xcx, a popular British musician, has had her song, “Everything is romantic” featured in the Wuthering Heights trailer, coming off her Brat album. This is another creative choice that director Emerald Fennel made, “Including such a modern song makes this feel like another raunchy Gen-Z remake, trying to garner views using our favorite singers and actors, and not a proper remake,” senior Karina Hartenyan said.
Overall, the lack of emotional complexity portrayed in the performances in the trailer has been the major complaint of netizens (people of the internet). Yet, how much can really be discerned from a minute-long trailer? Trailers act as a simple, short window into what you can expect to see in a movie, without giving away major plot points or twists. Knowing that trailers aren’t fully representative of the entirety of a film, is this much criticism appropriate for such a short clip? The answers to these questions can only be unveiled on February 13th, the release date for Wuthering Heights (2026).
