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Fennell’s ‘Wuthering Heights’ Posts Strong Early Grosses as Reviews Divide

Fennell positions the film as a personal, sex‑forward interpretation rather than a faithful adaptation.

Overview

  • After five days in theaters, the film has taken in more than $117 million worldwide and led the Australian box office, following an opening weekend reported at $76.8 million.
  • Critical response remains sharply split, with a current Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score around 60% and an 80% audience score, even as many praise the visuals and Charli XCX’s soundtrack.
  • The adaptation compresses the novel’s scope to roughly its first half and trims or reworks key characters, a choice reviewers say reshapes the story’s themes and tone.
  • Jacob Elordi’s casting as Heathcliff continues to draw criticism from fans and commentators concerned about representational erasure tied to the character’s depiction in the book.
  • Analyses highlight the film’s stylized design alongside concerns over sidelining Nelly and softening class and race undercurrents central to Emily Brontë’s original.