Where to watch Wuthering Heights adaptations ahead of Emerald Fennell’s ‘controversial’ new version

Emerald Fennell’s 2026 Wuthering Heights adaptation is almost out in cinemas, having attracted copious attention thanks to its bold approach – and worrying some fans.

Based on Emily Brontë’s revered 1847 gothic novel, it stars Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, with the film charting their romance.

But fans were left clutching their pearls after several NSFW moments shown so far in trailers and Fennell’s artistic interpretation, while star Elordi later described it as ‘like nails on a chalkboard’.

For those worried about the Saltburn creator’s latest film, a Wuthering Heights mini-series hailed as the ‘best adaptation’ of the novel is streaming for free right now on ITVX among several other versions.

Released in 2009, ITV’s Wuthering Heights series starred Tom Hardy as Heathcliff and Charlotte Riley as Catherine, alongside the likes of Andrew Lincoln, Rosalind Halstead, Rebecca Night, and Burn Gorman.

Written by Peter Bowker, the series holds an 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes’ Popcornmeter, with fans praising how it tackles the central love story and its darker themes.

User Yuliya G wrote: ‘Best adaptation of the novel in my opinion. Love that the show hits on the important plot of Catherine/Linton/Hareton instead of just focusing on Heathcliff and Cathy. Must watch for fans of the book.’

Dk b added: ‘Excellent actors in this two-part British ITV television series adaptation of the novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. Intense performances from Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley about passion, obsession, and revenge.’

An anonymous user said: ‘With the benefit of a mini-series format, this adaptation is more faithful than most to the original work (with some very notable exceptions) and the chemistry between real-life couple Charlotte Riley and Tom Hardy adds something special.

‘I have yet to see a film version (and I’ve sought out as many as possible) that lays bare the raw, real, and sometimes ugly, emotions that give the book its cult status.’

What other Wuthering Heights adaptations are there?

Wuthering Heights has been adapted for film, TV, and radio across the world, so Brontë fans have plenty to dive into.

It was first adapted as a silent film in 1920 by A. V. Bramble, but it is unknown if any prints still exist.

In 1939, it was once again adapted for film, with Merle Oberon as Catherine and Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff in one of his most iconic roles.

It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, and is streaming right now on Amazon Prime Video.

Spanish-language, Bollywood, and Hindi-language versions of the film came in the 1950s and 60s before Robert Feust’s 1970s version was released, starring Timothy Dalton and Anna Calder-Marshall.

Wuthering Heights films have been adapted in Japan, Pakistan, France, and the Philippines, highlighting the influence this story has had on popular culture worldwide.

In 1992, Peter Kosminsky released the next major British adaptation of the story, starring Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes.

Kaya Scodelario then took on the role of Catherine alongside James Howson as Heathcliff 19 years later in Andrea Arnold’s Wuthering Heights film, which is also a popular version.

Another 11 years passed before Wuthering Heights hit the big screen again in Bryan Ferriter’s independently-produced Wuthering Heights, with Ferriter starring as Heathcliff opposite Jet Jandreau’s Catherine.

Why has there been backlash to Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights?

The latest adaptation of Wuthering Heights has caused uproar among fans for several reasons.

The first trailer initially sparked backlash thanks to its more raunchy content, alongside leaks from a test screening in August describing a ‘nun fondling a corpse’, which many decried as not being faithful to the original story.

‘The way this didn’t need to be a Wuthering Heights adaptation, like girl if you wanted to make a horny period piece then do that. No need to terrorise Emily Bronte,’ wrote @sshxniaa on X.

‘Emily Bronte is rising from her grave as we speak because why did they turn Wuthering Heights into Fifty Shades of Heathcliff and Cathy,’ added @daehaerys, while @witcheyre insisted this interpretation ‘gives me physical pain’.

Other fans have lamented Elordi’s casting as Heathcliff, noting that their are repeated references to the character not being white in the book.

One part of the novel describes Heathcliff as a ‘dark-skinned gypsy in aspect and a little lascar,’ and there are several other mentions of his dark, ethnically ambiguous complexion.

Others also felt that Margot and Jacob were simply too normal to play these tortured characters.

Some fans also pointed out that, at 35, Barbie star Margot is nearly twice the age of the teenage character she is set to play.

In an interview with Metro at the Sands International Film Festival of St Andrews last year though, Wuthering Heights casting director Kharmel Cochrane robustly defended the choices of Robbie and Elordi – despite admitting she’d seen messages online insisting she should ‘be shot’, and even her own friends going on ‘Twitter rampages’ about it.

‘You can read anything into a book and make it your interpretation. And it’s really easy to sit online and say things, but just wait until you’ve watched it, and then you can say – maybe not that I deserve to be shot – but you can say what you want!’ Cochrane suggested at the time.

She also defended the choice with her argument that ‘it’s a book, these people aren’t real’ in a public talk at the festival later that afternoon.

‘There’s definitely going to be some English Lit fans that are not going to be happy,’ she added to the audience, before continuing with a hint of glee: ‘Wait until you see the set design, because it’s even more shocking. And there may or may not be a dog collar in it.’

Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights will be released in UK and Irish cinemas on February 13, 2026.

This article was first published on September 5, 2025.

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