Wuthering Heights 2026 director wants film to be “this generation’s Titanic” – as Margot Robbie responds to casting backlash

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Emerald Fennell wants her version of Wuthering Heights to connect with viewers in the same powerful way that James Cameron’s Titanic did.

The new film is based on Emily Brontë’s classic novel, Wuthering Heights. It tells the intense and dramatic love story of Catherine Earnshaw (played by Margot Robbie) and Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi), an orphaned boy taken in by Catherine’s wealthy family.

After the trailer dropped – featuring a blend of classical music by Anthony Willis and pop from Charli xcx, and showcasing Margot Robbie as Catherine in an 80s-inspired wedding gown – many viewers expressed concern that the movie appeared overly sexual and modern in its approach.

Margot Robbie addressed the criticism in a recent British Vogue interview, explaining that audiences might be surprised by the film. While acknowledging it contains mature and suggestive content, she emphasized that it’s ultimately more focused on romance than explicit scenes.

This movie is a sweeping, classic love story. We haven’t seen a romance of this scale in a long time – perhaps not since films like ‘The Notebook’ or ‘The English Patient,’ and it’s been decades since then.

She explained how she talked with Fennell about the film’s more personal moments, asking, ‘What do we actually find hot, exciting, or sexy?’ She emphasized that it wasn’t simply about physical acts or nudity, but something deeper.

This movie really resonated with us as women in our 30s because it focuses on the small, relatable moments in life – something we don’t often see in grand, historical love stories, especially those made from a female perspective.

Robbie explained that the director, Emerald Fennell, envisioned the film having a similar cultural impact to Titanic. She recalled a conversation where Fennell said she wanted the movie to evoke the same strong emotional response in this generation that Titanic did in hers. Fennell described seeing Romeo & Juliet repeatedly as a teenager and being heartbroken when she couldn’t go back to see it again, and that’s the level of impact she hoped for with this film.

She expressed her wish for women to watch the film with their female friends – ideally, with a group of ten – and believes it will make a fantastic date movie.

The movie Titanic, featuring Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack and Kate Winslet as Rose, tells a love story between two people from very different backgrounds, much like the novel Wuthering Heights.

Fans haven’t just criticized the outdated details in Fennell’s movie adaptation. They’ve also been upset that the actors playing teenage characters are much older (Elordi is 28 and Robbie is 35), and that the film changed Heathcliff’s ethnicity, removing his non-white heritage.

When discussing Robbie’s role, Fennell explained that it’s hard to find someone with such a commanding presence. She described Margot Robbie as having a bold, confident energy – exactly what the character of Cathy requires.

Addressing criticism about the new Cathy being portrayed as blonde instead of brunette – as she is in the book – Robbie acknowledged the concerns, explaining that people haven’t seen the movie yet and are reacting based on limited information.

Regarding the choice of Jacob Elordi, she explained that she’d seen him as Heathcliff and believed he perfectly embodied the character. She encouraged viewers to be patient, assuring them they would be pleased with his performance.

This role has a fantastic history, with amazing actors like Laurence Olivier, Richard Burton, Ralph Fiennes, and Tom Hardy having played it before. It’s really special to join that group. The character is truly compelling, and I have a lot of faith in him.

“I honestly think he’s our generation’s Daniel Day-Lewis.”

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2025-12-05 15:36