A storm-battered first look
The first trailer for Emerald Fennell’s 2026 take on Wuthering Heights wastes no time showing its teeth. Clocking in at about 1 minute and 32 seconds, the teaser sets a raw, wind-whipped mood across the Yorkshire moors and plants Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi at the heart of a romance that burns hot enough to scar. It’s stark, it’s sensual, and it hints at a film that isn’t afraid of the story’s darker currents.
Robbie takes on Catherine Earnshaw with an intensity that reads as restless and untamed. Elordi’s Heathcliff comes off coiled and dangerous, a figure shaped by longing and grievance. The images—storm clouds, cold light, and close-ups that hold just a beat too long—sell a version of this classic that leans into obsession rather than soft-focus nostalgia.
The trailer’s most striking line lands like a vow and a warning: “I can follow you like a dog to the end of the world.” It captures the dynamic in a sentence—devotion that borders on ruin. That’s always been the book’s engine, and the footage suggests Fennell isn’t easing off the throttle.
Fennell directs and co-writes, adapting Emily Brontë while giving the material a modern pulse. She’s built a reputation for sharp, gutsy storytelling with Promising Young Woman (which won her the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay) and the feverish, high-society drama Saltburn. Here, she appears to fuse period detail with a contemporary sense of urgency—clean framing, heightened sound, and an eye for faces in conflict.
The cast goes beyond the headline duo. Shazad Latif and Hong Chau appear in supporting roles, rounding out an ensemble that looks carefully chosen rather than simply star-studded. Robbie also pulls double duty as a producer through LuckyChap, with Lie Still and MRC Film onboard. Warner Bros. is handling distribution, lining the release up for February 13, 2026—perfectly placed to own Valentine’s weekend with a love story that’s anything but sweet.
Key takeaways from the drop:
- Runtime: about 1:32, focused and moody.
- Cast: Margot Robbie (Catherine), Jacob Elordi (Heathcliff), with Shazad Latif and Hong Chau in support.
- Line that sets the tone: “I can follow you like a dog to the end of the world.”
- Producers: Lie Still, LuckyChap, and MRC Film; distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures.
- Release date: February 13, 2026, positioned for Valentine’s weekend.
The footage signals a film that favors emotion over ornament. The moors look less like a backdrop and more like a pressure cooker. Interiors feel close and candle-lit, the kind of spaces where secrets stick to the walls. Costumes and production design suggest period accuracy without fussiness—more lived-in than lavish. If you’re coming for the Gothic, the trailer promises fog, fury, and consequences.
Why this story keeps coming back
Published in 1847 under the pen name Ellis Bell, Emily Brontë’s novel has never really loosened its grip on readers. It’s built on love and revenge, but it also digs into class, cruelty, and what happens when two stubborn people let pride and pain drive the plot. The moors are basically a character—wild, isolating, and always ready to shove people toward bad decisions. The story jumps across generations and leaves wreckage in its wake.
Filmmakers keep returning to it because it’s elastic. William Wyler’s 1939 version with Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon played up tragic romance. The 1992 adaptation with Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes brought a handsomely traditional sweep. Andrea Arnold’s 2011 film stripped it down to raw earth and bare skin. Even music couldn’t resist, with Kate Bush’s “Wuthering Heights” turning the book’s anguish into a pop aria. Each take finds its own truth in the storm.
Fennell’s approach, if the trailer is any guide, looks personal and pointed. The cuts are sharp. The sound design leans on breath, wind, and silence. The camera gets close enough to feel the heat in an argument. That contemporary sensibility doesn’t sand off the period edges; it makes the emotions feel present-tense. Expect a Catherine and Heathcliff who don’t plead for sympathy so much as dare you to look away.
The business case is clear too. Classic IP with fresh talent travels well, and this pairing has reach. Robbie is coming off a global smash with Barbie and a string of precise character turns before that. Elordi’s been sliding into major-league roles with a mix of menace and magnetism. Add in LuckyChap’s knack for backing buzzy projects and Warner Bros.’ muscle, and you’ve got a package primed to cut through a crowded calendar.
Dropping the first look in early September gives the campaign room to breathe. Expect a slow build: character posters, a longer trailer closer to the holidays, and a tighter push into February. That Valentine’s slot isn’t just romantic timing—it’s counterprogramming. This is a love story that bites back, tailor-made for audiences who want nerves frayed, not soothed.
What’s still under wraps? A lot. We don’t have a full character breakdown for the supporting cast, no confirmed runtime, and no official rating. The trailer keeps the plot shape familiar—love, betrayal, and the long tail of revenge—without laying out the map. That restraint suggests confidence: the hook is the mood and the pairing, not the plot mechanics.
If the finished film holds to the promise of this first look, we’re in for something fierce—less corset drama, more emotional bare-knuckle. The moors look unforgiving. The lovers look doomed. And the movie looks like it knows exactly what it wants to be.
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