Margot Robbie screams, Jacob Elordi broods, and Emerald Fennell declares war on the purists. This isn’t your English teacher’s Brontë.
I just watched the first trailer for Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights three times in a row, and I need a moment. If you thought Saltburn was provocative, Fennell is about to set the internet on fire with this one.
The trailer isn’t just a teaser; it’s a declaration of war. Fennell isn’t giving us the dusty, polite period drama we watched in high school. She’s giving us a fever dream.
The opening shot alone a jarring, synth-heavy needle drop (is that a Charli XCX harpsichord remix?) over a sweeping, mist-covered moor tells us exactly what we’re in for. This is Gothic romance for the TikTok generation, and honestly? I’m obsessed.
The “Saltburn” Effect on The Moors
When I saw the tight 1.33:1 aspect ratio kick in, I knew Fennell was doubling down on her claustrophobic, voyeuristic style.
The trailer shows Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw not as a victim of her time, but as a manic, chaotic force of nature. There’s a specific shot at the 0:45 mark where she screams into the wind, her hair matted and wild, that feels less like a period drama and more like a psychological horror.
And the lighting? Drenched in sweat and candlelight. Unlike the polished, clean veneer of Bridgerton, this trailer makes the mud of Yorkshire look genuinely gross and cold. It confirms that this movie is going to be uncomfortable, loud, and visually aggressive.
The Heathcliff Controversy: Let’s Talk About It
I honestly feel that the internet is going to tear this casting apart, and Fennell knows it. Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff is a choice that screams “modern thirst trap” rather than “historical accuracy.”
In the book, Heathcliff is described as dark-skinned an outsider in every sense. Seeing Elordi, standing 6’5″ and looking like a GQ model in a billowing shirt, definitely ignores the racial complexity of the novel.
However, watching his eyes in the close-up at 1:12, I admit he has the menacing, toxic possessiveness down pat. He isn’t playing a romantic hero; he looks like a predator. Fennell seems to be leaning into the “toxic obsession” angle rather than the “misunderstood outcast” trope, which might be the only way to make this casting work.
Technical Details: Pop-Gothic Aesthetics
What struck me most was the deliberate anachronism. The title card appears in neon quotation marks “Wuthering Heights” hinting that this is a satire or a meta-commentary.
I also spotted what looked like a quick cut of a rave scene? Or perhaps a very manic ballroom dance? It suggests we might get some surrealist sequences similar to the Saltburn grave scene. It’s risky, but it distinguishes this film from every other BBC drama ever made.
Final Verdict
The Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi Wuthering Heights trailer is a sensory overload that promises to be the most divisive movie of 2026. It looks lush, toxic, and completely unhinged.
Are you ready for a Heathcliff who listens to hyperpop, or is this a step too far for a classic?
Jordan Blake is a rogue film critic and former VFX compositor with over 15 years of industry experience. Tired of paid reviews and “safe” opinions, Jordan left the studio system to tell the audience what Hollywood won’t. He specializes in forensic frame-by-frame analysis, exposing bad CGI, and decoding hidden lore that others miss.
Known for his “no-nonsense” approach, Jordan pays for his own tickets and refuses to attend press junkets, ensuring his loyalty belongs only to the fans. If a movie is a cash grab, he’ll say it. If it’s a masterpiece, he’ll explain why technically.
Specialty: VFX Breakdowns, Script Analysis, Hidden Details.
Motto: “Cinema doesn’t lie, but marketing does.”
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