Be warned: this article may reveal details about the upcoming 2026 film, Wuthering Heights. Emerald Fennell discusses whether she might create a sequel to her recent movie adaptation, which only covers the first half of the original novel.
The upcoming 2026 film, Wuthering Heights, directed by Fennell, will feature Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as the iconic characters Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff. Based on Emily Brontë’s classic 1847 novel, the movie tells the story of the ill-fated romance between Cathy and Heathcliff, as well as the lives of their children. Unlike many previous adaptations, this version will cover both generations of the story.
The film retells the story of Cathy and Heathcliff, showing their intense connection from childhood through adulthood, even after Cathy marries Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif). This leaves plenty of story for a follow-up movie. However, in an interview with ScreenRant, director Fennell jokingly responded to the idea of a sequel, saying, “Oh my God. Can you imagine Wuthering Heights 2? More Heights, more Wuthering.”
The director of Saltburn explained that the original book is incredibly detailed, complex, and spans many generations. Because of its length and scope, she felt the story would either require a long-form adaptation like a miniseries—perhaps even ten episodes—to fully capture everything from the book, or significant choices would have to be made about what to include.
Fennell suggests another approach: create your own reaction to the book, focusing on your personal feelings and what you wished had occurred – or hadn’t. She’s previously explained that her adaptation of Wuthering Heights is deeply personal, shaped not only by what she chose to omit, but also by her unique portrayal of the scenes she included.
Everett Collection
However, Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights doesn’t end with the tragic relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff. The story goes on to show Heathcliff marrying Isabella, Edgar’s sister, though the marriage is unhappy and she eventually escapes with their son. Heathcliff also cleverly takes advantage of Cathy’s brother Hindley’s financial troubles to gain ownership of the family home, Wuthering Heights.
Okay, so things get really messy. After a brutal fight with Heathcliff, poor Cathy dies giving birth to her daughter, who they also call Cathy. Then Heathcliff, being the master manipulator he is, cooks up a plan to have his son, Linton, marry young Cathy. It’s a power play, honestly – Linton is Edgar’s only son and heir. Once Edgar passes away, Heathcliff effectively owns everything – both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange – through Linton. It’s a total takeover, and it’s heartbreaking to watch.
After taking revenge on those who mistreated him as a child – the Earnshaw and Linton families – Heathcliff finds himself empty and alone, eventually dying. Some say his spirit, along with Catherine’s, still wanders the moors, but the younger characters, like Hareton, finally find peace when they are no longer affected by him. However, it’s not uncommon for adaptations of this story to omit these details.
I’ve seen a lot of Wuthering Heights adaptations, and it seems like sticking to the core love story of Cathy and Heathcliff really works – and it definitely worked for Emerald Fennell this time around. The new 2026 version is looking good so far, with a 66% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and people are predicting it’ll be a big hit in theaters. From what I’ve gathered, the criticisms aren’t about what story they told, but more about how they told it – things like pacing or acting, not the scope of the narrative itself.
Gregory Nussen’s review of the Wuthering Heights adaptation for ScreenRant strongly criticizes it, calling it a “toothless, whitewashed adaptation” – a reference to the criticism surrounding the casting of Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff. However, director Emerald Fennell doesn’t appear interested in making a follow-up, as she, like many others, finds the first half of the story more compelling.
Wuthering Heights is now in theaters.
Read More
- Best Controller Settings for ARC Raiders
- Stephen Colbert Jokes This Could Be Next Job After Late Show Canceled
- DCU Nightwing Contender Addresses Casting Rumors & Reveals His Other Dream DC Role [Exclusive]
- 10 X-Men Batman Could Beat (Ranked By How Hard It’d Be)
- 7 Home Alone Moments That Still Make No Sense (And #2 Is a Plot Hole)
- Is XRP ETF the New Stock Market Rockstar? Find Out Why Everyone’s Obsessed!
- JRR Tolkien Once Confirmed Lord of the Rings’ 2 Best Scenes (& He’s Right)
- Embracer Group is Divesting Ownership of Arc Games, Cryptic Studios to Project Golden Arc
- Gwen Stefani Details “Blessing” of Her Holidays With Blake Shelton
- Bitcoin or Bust? 🚀
2026-02-13 05:04