The trailers for the new Wuthering Heights adaptation have barely dropped, and people already have a lot to say about the movie. Social media reactions are pouring in at lightning speed, turning what should’ve been a simple first look into a full-blown cultural debate. Most of the early criticism centers on the casting, the costuming, and what many are calling the “Saltburnification” of the story accusing the film of trading the novel’s raw, windswept Gothic grit for something sleeker, more provocative, and aggressively stylized.
This shift in tone has already sparked a major divide: on one side are viewers excited by the bold creative risks taken by director Emerald Fennell, and on the other are longtime fans who feel that the spirit of Brontë’s original novel is being drowned out by glossy aesthetics. In other words, the discourse has launched straight into chaos before the movie even has a release date, and each new trailer detail adds more fuel to the fire.
One of the loudest points of contention is the concern about white-washing, especially with Jacob Elordi playing Heathcliff. Fans argue that Heathcliff’s racial ambiguity, his dark skin, foreign origins, and the way he is socially and culturally “othered” is foundational to the novel. That outsider status drives much of his character’s trauma and rage. Seeing that element erased yet again in an adaptation feels, to many, like a major thematic loss and a flattening of one of literature’s most complex anti-heroes.
Casting Margot Robbie as Catherine has also raised eyebrows. While her acting ability isn’t in question, her age does make the casting feel mismatched, especially for a character who is supposed to be between 17 and 20. The trailers emphasize the age gap between the leads even more, throwing off the intended youthful volatility of Catherine and Heathcliff’s relationship something fans argue is central to the story’s emotional impact.
The costuming hasn’t escaped criticism either. Viewers feel the outfits don’t match the period or the setting’s harshness; instead of looking weathered and true to life on the Yorkshire moors, they appear polished, modern, and fashion-forward. For a story defined by mud, storms, and brutality, the clean, stylized wardrobe feels tonally out of sync.
But the biggest overarching complaint is the aesthetic tone what people are calling the “Saltburnification” of Wuthering Heights. The trailers are filled with glossy shots, heightened sensuality, and slow-motion sequences, giving the film a seductive, voyeuristic sheen reminiscent of Saltburn. While visually striking, this approach clashes with Brontë’s novel, which is jagged, feral, and emotionally violent. Fans feel the adaptation is replacing the story’s raw intensity with sleek, contemporary sensuality substituting grit with gloss, and psychological depth with surface-level style.
Taken together, these concerns paint a picture of an adaptation that appears to be drifting too far from the essence of the source material. Viewers aren’t rejecting creativity or reinterpretation; they’re reacting to what feels like a fundamental tonal mismatch. Wuthering Heights is a story built on storms literal and emotional and many feel that the film’s polished, modern vibe smooths out the very roughness that makes the novel unforgettable. Ultimately, that disconnect is why the trailers aren’t landing for many longtime fans.