Unrecognizable!”: Margot Robbie’s Wild New Role in Fennell’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ Stuns Fans

Emerald Fennell’s highly anticipated adaptation of Wuthering Heights is already generating significant buzz following the release of its first official teaser on September 4. The film, based on Emily Brontë’s classic 1847 novel, promises a bold, sensual reimagining of the tumultuous romance between Catherine and Heathcliff, this time brought to life by Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.

Known for her fearless storytelling, Fennell appears to be steering this adaptation into daring new territory. The teaser offers visually rich, emotionally charged imagery, highlighting the chemistry between its leads and setting the stage for a haunting, passionate retelling of one of literature’s most enduring love stories.

A Bold Visual Approach from Emerald Fennell

Emerald Fennell, who serves as the writer, director, and producer of Wuthering Heights, is no stranger to provocative, genre-defying filmmaking. Her previous projects, including the Oscar-winning Promising Young Woman and the visually hypnotic Saltburn, were celebrated for their audacity, subversive narratives, and stylistic innovation.

In this new adaptation, Fennell brings her signature cinematic flair to the moors of Yorkshire. The teaser is filled with slow, sensual close-ups: a pair of hands kneading bread, fingers gliding through raw egg yolks, a hand disappearing into the mouth of a fish. These symbolic, tactile visuals suggest a focus on primal desire and repressed emotion, core themes of Brontë’s original novel now made visually visceral.

Margot Robbie as Catherine: A Return to Form

Following her critically acclaimed performance in Barbie, Margot Robbie took a nearly three-year break from acting, focusing on producing projects and personal development. Her return in Fennell’s Wuthering Heights marks a powerful comeback, showcasing a darker, more intimate side of her range.

Robbie’s portrayal of Catherine promises to delve deep into the character’s complex psyche — a woman torn between social expectation and uncontrollable passion. In the teaser, her intensity is palpable as she trades longing glances with Elordi’s Heathcliff and delivers emotionally charged dialogue with aching vulnerability. The bold physicality of the role — including scenes where she sensually interacts with food and with her co-star — underlines the raw emotional landscape Fennell aims to explore.

Jacob Elordi’s Heathcliff: A New Kind of Brooding

Jacob Elordi steps into the iconic role of Heathcliff, the brooding anti-hero whose tortured soul has captivated readers for generations. Known for his performances in Euphoria, The Kissing Booth, and most recently Priscilla, Elordi brings both intensity and vulnerability to the role.

In one striking moment from the trailer, Heathcliff declares to Catherine, “I’ll follow you like a dog to the end of the world” — a line not from Brontë’s original text, but one that encapsulates the desperation and devotion that define his character. Elordi’s presence in the teaser suggests a Heathcliff who is not just angry and vengeful, but emotionally raw and emotionally exposed.

This interpretation of Heathcliff seems to emphasize the sensual and psychological dimensions of his relationship with Catherine, departing from traditional portrayals that often focus solely on his rage and resentment.

A New Tone for a Timeless Story

While Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights has been adapted numerous times for film and television, Fennell’s version appears to be taking the most visually and emotionally daring approach yet. The decision to pair Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi — two of Hollywood’s most dynamic and talked-about actors — signals a commitment to fresh, intense storytelling.

One of the more striking aspects of the teaser is its dreamlike sensuality. Scenes are bathed in natural light and shadow, giving the film a painterly aesthetic. The camera lingers on hands, skin, and eyes, emphasizing not just physical connection, but longing, frustration, and unfulfilled desire.

The use of Charlie XCX’s “Everything Is Romantic” as the background track further underlines the film’s modern tone. While the story remains rooted in 19th-century England, its emotional atmosphere is charged with a contemporary sensibility, making it accessible to a new generation of viewers.

Exploring the Psychological Depth of Brontë’s Characters

At its heart, Wuthering Heights is a novel about obsession, revenge, and the destructiveness of uncontained emotion. Rather than shying away from these themes, Emerald Fennell appears to embrace them fully in her adaptation. Her visual and narrative choices in the teaser suggest that the film will dive deeply into the psychological trauma and spiritual connection that bind Catherine and Heathcliff.

Margot Robbie’s Catherine is seen engaging in a series of emotionally and physically provocative acts — not simply for shock value, but to externalize the inner torment that has defined the character for over 175 years. Similarly, Elordi’s Heathcliff comes across as a man whose soul is being torn apart by love, loss, and rage.

The chemistry between Robbie and Elordi is undeniable, and their performances suggest a relationship marked by intensity, danger, and a sense of inevitability.

Setting and Atmosphere: A Character in Itself

Fennell’s version of Wuthering Heights also emphasizes the importance of setting. The bleak, wind-swept Yorkshire moors are more than just a backdrop — they mirror the emotional desolation and passion of the protagonists. In the teaser, these landscapes are portrayed with a mix of naturalism and poetic abstraction, enhancing the story’s mythic and gothic qualities.

The tactile imagery — from kneading dough to the glistening sweat on a back — grounds the film in physical reality, even as it explores metaphysical emotions. This blending of body and spirit, form and feeling, is central to both Brontë’s novel and Fennell’s cinematic vision.

Anticipation Builds for the 2026 Premiere

With a Philippine cinema release scheduled for February 2026, Wuthering Heights is already shaping up to be one of the most talked-about films of the year. The combination of Emerald Fennell’s unique directorial voice, Margot Robbie’s magnetic return to acting, and Jacob Elordi’s rising star power makes this adaptation a must-watch.

Fans of the original novel may find Fennell’s interpretation unconventional, but for those open to a bolder, more sensual take on the story, the film offers a promising new perspective.

Final Thoughts

Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi go daring in Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights, reimagining Brontë’s Gothic romance with a raw, modern edge. The teaser has already sparked conversation with its provocative imagery, emotionally charged dialogue, and palpable chemistry between its leads.

As audiences await the film’s release, one thing is clear: Fennell is not interested in retelling Wuthering Heights the way it’s been done before. Instead, she’s crafting an experience — one that invites viewers to feel deeply, question convention, and perhaps see Brontë’s masterpiece in a whole new light.