A new trailer for the upcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation has dropped, and fans are divided over one claim the film has made. The movie, inspired by Emily Brontë’s 1847 gothic classic, is directed by Emerald Fennell and stars Australian A-listers Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi in the main roles of Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, respectively. The first teaser dropped in September to mixed reviews, but now fans have a whole two-minute and 40-second trailer to sink their teeth into. 

The trailer is set to Charli XCX‘s new track Chains of Love from her upcoming original album made especially for the movie soundtrack. One thing to note: the film’s title is in quotation marks, seemingly to alert audiences that this is not going to be a completely faithful adaptation. But a new detail that has left fans perplexed is the film’s claim to be “inspired by the greatest love story of all time”. The original novel is not a heartwarming romance but more of a dark story of obsession and Heathcliff’s vengeance after Catherine marries another. Needless to say, fans had some thoughts. 

“‘The greatest love story of all time’ I don’t think we’ve read the same book,” one confused fan wrote in the comments section of the YouTube video. “Are there two Wuthering Heights? Cause the one I read was NOT a LOVE story,” someone else commented. Another viewer pointed out, “Wuthering Heights is a revenge story, not a love story”. One person wrote: “Loved the story. But it’s definitely not the greatest love story but the opposite, it’s really sad and cruel”. While the film’s claim to be a romantic tale left fans of the book scratching their heads, others praised the cinematography. 

The trailer features stunning landscape shots of Margot and Jacob on the West Yorkshire moors. The original story takes place on the Yorkshire moors, with the 2026 version filming parts in the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The trailer is a mix of sensual close-ups, shots of Jacob Elordi shirtless, and looks at Margot Robbie’s luxurious costuming in corseted gowns and jewels. It ends with the two actors drenched in the rain as Jacob’s Heathcliff tells Margot’s Catherine: “So kiss me. And let us both be damned.” “The cinematography is MAGNIFICIENT ! Every single shot could be a beautiful painting that’s a master work here!!” one person praised. “Faithful to the original book or not, you can not deny this film looks BEAUTIFUL,” another argued. “Say what you want about the “creative liberties” they to took in regard to the actual book….the cinematography looks dope,” a third said. 

Wuthering Heights is set to come out on Valentine’s Day 2026. It was announced in July 2024 that Emerald, known for Saltburn and Promising Young Woman, would be directing a new version of the classic, which has previously been made into several feature films and miniseries over the years. 

The film has already been shrouded in controversy

Already the film has faced criticism over casting choices, costuming and deviation from the original Wuthering Heights novel. One particular point of backlash was Jacob being cast as Heathcliff, who in the book is described as ““dark-skinned”. The casting director Kharmel Cochrane addressed the backlash over the film’s casting choices. “There was one Instagram comment that said the casting director should be shot,” Kharmel said per Deadline. “But just wait till you see it, and then you can decide whether you want to shoot me or not. 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.” 

The film’s director Emerald has also spoken publicly about the movie. “I’ve been obsessed. I’ve been driven mad by this book,” she said per The Guardian. “I know that if somebody else made it, I’d be furious. It’s very personal material for everyone. It’s very illicit. The way we relate to the characters is very private.”