Sacrificing Core Themes, For What Exactly?

In Other Words, Another Rant About The Upcoming Wuthering Heights Movie

My very well-loved copy of Wuthering Heights

Hello!!!

This is Joyie and welcome back to my little bookish corner of the internet where I talk all things books!

Have you been reading anything this week?

This week I finished my Wuthering Heights annual re-read. It was my fifth time reading that book and damn, I still really really really love it! After finishing WH, I started my long planned re-read of The Count Of Monte Cristo, because that movie, despite its changes from the novel, still hit that spot in my heart. So, it’s been a revenge-lore filled reading week.

Today I once again want to talk about the 2026 Wuthering Heights adaptation. If you’re tired of hearing about it, I’m sorry. But it’s my favourite book, and I AM going to complain. But before I start, I’ll say that there’s a very faint chance that we’re all wrong, that everything we’ve seen so far has been part of an elaborate PR stunt to get people talking about the movie. In that case I’ll take back anything I’m about to say in this letter. But right now, I need to rant.

If you’re aware, this adaptation has far too many things wrong with it. I myself have addressed some of it in a previous post. Therefore, understandably, there’s been severe backlash against it. Now, some of that backlash included death threats which, helps whom exactly? You can critique artistic choices without threatening to shoot people.

Now, this week I came across an article which quoted the casting director, responding to the backlash, saying:

‘‘But you really don’t need to be accurate. It’s just a book. That is not based on real life. It’s all art. There's definitely going to be some English Lit fans that are not going to be happy. Wait until you see the set design, because that is even more shocking. And there may or may not be a dog collar in it.’’

My first knee-jerk reaction to that was, what the actual fuck?!

Then, the next-to-next day, I came across a commercial for Chanel perfumes, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi (I finally know what this guy looks like, yayyy?), and then it occurred to me. Most likely it was never about adapting Wuthering Heights—it was about making money using the name of Wuthering Heights.

But first, you can make changes to a story when adapting it for the screen. Sometimes I’d say it’s rather necessary, because the two are very different mediums. But if you’re making changes that remove foundational elements that make the story what it is, that’s when it becomes a concern.

Heathcliff’s othering for being the only dark-skinned person in a classist, racist, white neighbourhood is pivotal to his, and consequently, Wuthering Heights’ story. So, making Heathcliff white is a choice that raises questions.

Now, this is not the first time a white actor has been cast to play Heathcliff. So, I could try to play devil’s advocate here. Maybe they didn’t think it through (they should have, this is 2025)? Or maybe they couldn’t find a Romani actor, or whatnot?

But then, this adaptation takes it one step further and casts a brown actor to play the privileged, classist white guy who Cathy leaves Heathcliff for. And on top of that, it also casts another Asian actress to play Nelly. At this point, it’s very difficult for me to believe that this is not a deliberate choice to remove the racial element of the story.

You know, why the ‘it’s not based on real life’ comment pisses me off? Because it’s flat-out untrue.

Heathcliff might not be real, but his experience of racial discrimination very much is. It was two hundred years ago, and it still continues to be. But I’m guessing this particular flavour of human experience was not relevant/aesthetic enough for the predominantly white decision-makers behind this project (and, the non-white ones who are also part of the problem). To them, Wuthering Heights is just another teenage love-triangle Georgian-era cosplay drama where the edgy guy seeks revenge after being rejected by his childhood sweetheart.

Like, you literally race-swapped Heathcliff and Edgar Linton, but you’re asking me to focus on dog collars and set designs? Creative freedom is one thing, but you’re whitewashing one of western literature’s very few non-white heroes, and an iconic one at that, and expect me to let that slide in favour of what exactly? Shock-value? (Also, Wuthering Heights is not lacking in shock value either, so try again)

I think we also need to understand this in the context of the present times. Stories don't become successful in a vacuum, they become successful in the context of the times in which they exist. They resonate with people, and offer comfort, hope, resilience. They reinforce life against the backdrop of reality. But the world is not in a good place at the moment, and in volatile times like this, that becomes challenging. And it’s evident from the load of crappy cash-grab movies we’ve seen pouring in in recent years. Nothing new, nothing time-relevant, nothing daring, just rinsing and repeating formulas that have worked previously (and missing the mark, because times have changed).

This movie in my opinion is another attempt at that. Take a heavyweight name like Wuthering Heights, cast two people who are hotshots at the moment, appeal to the dark romance fanbase and have some moody Pinterest and tumblr aesthetic boards go around, draw in some hype, then ride that to also secure some brand deals while you’re at it.

I’ve said this before, WH is a story that deliberately chooses to focus on the dark side of human nature, and does so unapologetically. And therefore, it’s a very polarising book. Just as there are people who love it passionately, there are also people who hate it passionately. But that won't do when your aim is to maximise profits. Hence this attempt to tone it down, to leave out the dark, uncomfortable bits to make Wuthering Heights palatable to a wider audience. Which is a shame because the last thing Wuthering Heights tries to be is palatable.

Now, part of me thinks I should give the movie a chance before making judgements. But with every new update, it keeps getting worse and worse. From the races of the actors, the costume designs, the release date, Elordi’s comment about WH being an epic love story (which it is, but it’s so so much more than that), and now this. I believe sometimes you can tell, even before a movie is released. And unless this turns out to be some quirky spin-off sort of thing, I don’t see how I can make any sense of it.

I’ll admit. There’s an element of entitlement at work here, where I feel like I was robbed off a faithful Wuthering Heights adaptation. But Fennell, or anyone for that matter, doesn’t owe me anything and can choose to adapt the book however she wants (it’s in the public domain). I just wish we could have an adaptation that could do justice to Wuthering Heights, without shying away from its dark, but very human, themes.

Anyway, that was a long rant, but I needed to let it out. And as I was re-reading the story in the midst of all this, I realised none of it could ever take away from the book, from my enjoyment of reading it. And it was nice to see so many people discussing the book so passionately, even those who’re not big fans. Wuthering Heights is a story that has stood the test of time for almost two centuries, and I dare say it will continue to do so.

What about you? Have you read Wuthering Heights? I'd love to know!!!

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That’s it for today, I'll be back in your inbox next week.

Until then,

Joyie 🌻