“Wuthering Heights” Box Office Enchants Valentine’s Day Weekend With Record-Shattering Debut

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Emerald Fennell is generating buzz again with her latest film – an adaptation of a well-known classic. Following the success of Promising Young Woman and Saltburn, she’s now taken on a new and ambitious project.

The new movie, “Wuthering Heights,” inspired by Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel, features in the main roles. Despite debates about the casting choices and alterations made to the original story, the film has been a huge hit. According to reports, “Wuthering Heights” earned $82 million worldwide during its opening weekend, breaking several records.

Wuthering Heights topped the weekend box office, beating out new releases GOAT and others. Warner Bros. reported the film earned $33 million domestically and $42 million internationally. Total earnings are projected to reach $40 million by the end of the President’s Day holiday on Monday.

The movie has broken several records, earning the highest opening weekend of the year so far. It brought in $20 million, exceeding the previous record held by Sam Raimi’s Send Help, and marks director Emerald Fennell’s most successful opening to date.

I’m really excited about this movie! It cost $80 million to make, so it needs to earn around $200 million just to cover those costs and let Warner Bros. start making a profit. But honestly, it had an amazing opening weekend and already earned back its production budget, so I think we’re looking at the biggest blockbuster of 2026!

The story of Wuthering Heights centers on the passionate and unconventional love between Cathy, a woman from high society, and Heathcliff, a social outsider. After being away for a long time, Heathcliff returns to fight for Cathy’s love. Actress Robbie portrays Cathy, and actor Elordi plays Heathcliff.

Other cast members include Hong Chau, Alison Oliver, Shazad Latif, Martin Clunes and Ewan Mitchell.

“Wuthering Heights” Had a Mixed Reception

Despite some enthusiastic praise, including one review calling it a “god-tier new classic,” the adaptation of Wuthering Heights ultimately received a mixed response. Critics and audiences were sharply divided in their opinions.

Ever since the new adaptation was announced, people have been voicing their concerns about the casting choices. Margot Robbie, who is 35, is playing a character who is supposed to be 19. Similarly, Jacob Elordi, 28, has faced criticism because his character is described as not being white – a key aspect of the story, as the character’s race was central to the plot and the societal rejection he faced.

The , but also extended to the costumes and the inaccurate portrayal of the historical era.

Interestingly, general audiences enjoyed the movie Wuthering Heights more than professional critics did. While critics gave it a 63% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, viewers rated it higher at 83%. It also received a B grade from CinemaScore and a 6.4 out of 10 on IMDb.

The film’s visuals are breathtaking, clearly showcasing the director’s unique and striking style. Many scenes are beautifully composed and could easily be considered works of art. The reviewer also praised the director’s choices, noting they enhance the overall vision for the film. While fans of the original story know the character’s eventual fate and how much story remains after that point, the film’s timeline has been thoughtfully adjusted. This change is particularly effective because it avoids criticism that might have arisen from casting actors who were too young for their roles in comparison to the book, as the actors are noticeably older.

The review also noted some issues with the story’s choices. Specifically, making Isabella the ward of Edgar instead of his sister felt confusing and didn’t add anything important. Likewise, changes to Nelly Dean’s past didn’t affect the story in any significant way.

“Wuthering Heights” is currently playing in theaters.

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2026-02-15 19:41