Book adaptations always draw more critical attention. And especially when it is a classic like Wuthering Heights, the stakes are even higher. And Emerald Fennell’s upcoming adaptation, which has not even begun filming yet, has already become the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons. The decision to cast Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi in the lead roles of Wuthering Heights has been slammed by fans of the Emily Brontë classic. However, it looks like the final verdict on whether this casting choice is a hit or miss might be coming sooner than expected.

The Wuthering Heights adaptation is, at last, beginning to see some brighter moments after weeks of controversy.

It was in July that Emerald Fennell announced her plans to adapt Wuthering Heights as her third feature. Just two months later, the lead cast for Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff was also revealed- Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. And since then, the project has sparked intense debates online about faithful adaptations of literary classics. However, unfazed by the discourse, the makers are sticking with their casting choice, and the movie is about to begin filming in the first quarter of 2025, as has been confirmed by Variety.

This report came right after Netflix lost the project to Warner Bros., despite placing a higher bid of $150 million. The filming schedule for Wuthering Heights, however, might be a bit of a headache for Jacob Elordi, as he will also be filming the third season of his HBO hit, Euphoria, in the first quarter of 2025. But it seems, that is just the tip of the iceberg for the 27-year-old considering the backlash the upcoming Wuthering Heights project has been enduring.

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Literary buffs have argued that this is a highly unfaithful adaptation of the beloved classic, and the leads in no way resemble the characters in the book for these two main reasons. 

The upcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation has been controversial from the get-go. The reason being, fans' strong disapproval over casting Jacob Elordi as the iconic antihero, a character traditionally believed to have a Romani or Gypsy background. And it is not just the whitewashing accusations- fans went on to label the casting as “bizarre” and “terrible.” Even Margot Robbie has not escaped the scrutiny.

The main issue lies in the huge age gap between the 34-year-old Robbie and Catherine, who is supposed to be fifteen years younger. It is a bit like when It Ends with Us tried to pull the same stunt earlier this year. But one can only hope that Wuthering Heights does not go down the same path and somehow delivers a knockout performance to make the literature aficionados forget the questionable casting choices. 

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What do you think about Wuthering Heights' filming update? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!