True story: I haven’t read Wuthering Heights since high school. It never captured my imagination like Jane Eyre, which I’ve reread several times in adulthood (and I still love). I acknowledge that Heathcliff and Cathy are iconic and that many people have strong feelings about any and all adaptations of the material. It feels like Jane Eyre is the easier book to adapt, and as such, there have been so many film and TV adaptations. Well, Emerald Fennell is going to change that. She’s adapting Wuthering Heights for the screen after the surprise (?) success of Saltburn. Fennell’s films have been consistently produced by Margot Robbie’s Lucky Chap, and I guess Emerald wants Wuthering Heights to be Margot’s postpartum comeback role. And Emerald wants Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff? Oh no.
In what is gearing up to be an A-list pairing for Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights movie, MRC is tapping Oscar-nominated actress and producer Margot Robbie and BAFTA-nominated actor Jacob Elordi to star in the adaptation of the classic novel.
LuckyChap also will produce Fennell’s upcoming feature film adaptation based on the iconic romance novel by Emily Brontë. Besides being the studio on the project, MRC also will finance the pic.
This marks LuckyChap and Fennell’s third collaboration together, having also produced her most recent pic Saltburn and Promising Young Woman, which won Fennell an Oscar for original screenplay.
Robbie is set to star as Catherine Earnshaw, and Elordi will play Heathcliff. Fennell is set to write, direct and produce. The film is in pre-production gearing up for a UK shoot in 2025.
Because I don’t have super-strong feelings about the material, I don’t really care that Emerald is going to put her stink on a classic novel. But even an ambivalent B like me is side-eyeing these casting choices. Elordi as Heathcliff? REALLY? Margot might do an okay job as the grown-up Cathy, but it feels like Fennell is being super-chaotic. I bet the script will be painful too.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.
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- Margot Robbie attending the Babylon UK Premiere at BFI Southbank in Waterloo, London, United Kingdom.,Image: 749315452, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: To licence this image, email [email protected] for more information., Model Release: no, Credit line: Cat Morley / Avalon
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- Italy, Lido di Venezia, September 4, 2023: Jacob Elordi attends the red carpet for the movie ‘Priscilla’ at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 4, 2023 in Venice, Italy.,Image: 802965407, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: **** World right excluding Italy ****, Model Release: no, Credit line: Ottavia Da Re / Agenzia Sintesi / Avalon
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – NOVEMBER 14: Australian actor Jacob Elordi wearing Givenchy arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere Of Amazon MGM Studios’ ‘Saltburn’ held at The Theatre at Ace Hotel on November 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 822169242, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Jacob Elordi, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – NOVEMBER 14: Australian actor Jacob Elordi wearing Givenchy arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere Of Amazon MGM Studios’ ‘Saltburn’ held at The Theatre at Ace Hotel on November 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 822169408, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Jacob Elordi, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – NOVEMBER 14: Australian actor Jacob Elordi wearing Givenchy arrives at the Los Angeles Premiere Of Amazon MGM Studios’ ‘Saltburn’ held at The Theatre at Ace Hotel on November 14, 2023 in Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 822169464, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Jacob Elordi, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – FEBRUARY 24: Margot Robbie wearing Schiaparelli FW20 Couture arrives at the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on February 24, 2024 in Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 850579365, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Margot Robbie, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
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- HOLLYWOOD, CA – FEBRUARY 25:Margot Robbie at the 35th Annual Producers Guild Awards at The Ray Dolby Ballroom on February 25, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Copyright: xJeffreyxMayerx,Image: 850902926, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon
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- Margot Robbie at The 96th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 10, 2024.,Image: 855701694, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: SI / Avalon
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – APRIL 13: Margot Robbie wearing Rick Owens SS24 RTW and Jennifer Meyer jewels arrives at the 10th Annual Breakthrough Prize Ceremony held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on April 13, 2024 in Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 864760305, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Margot Robbie, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon
