Why Wuthering Heights ending is different from the original book

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Spoilers for Wuthering Heights follows.

After months of online discussion and speculation, Emerald Fennell’s film adaptation of Wuthering Heights has arrived in theaters. Viewers have been eager to see how Fennell reimagined Emily Brontë’s classic novel.

The movie has sparked a lot of debate among fans, but some popular online theories about how it would adapt the source material – like the one about the significance of quotation marks – didn’t actually come true.

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However, Emerald Fennell made a significant change from the original book when creating the film’s ending.

In the movie, Cathy tragically loses her baby and, before she dies, doesn’t actually see Heathcliff. She believes she’s talking to him, but this is just a hallucination brought on by her high fever.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Fennell shared that she streamlined some scenes. She explained that there were originally around three separate meetings and speeches, and she worked to combine them into a more concise form.

We often discuss Romeo and Juliet, and when Isabella appears, she references that same type of tragic love story – the idea of something just out of reach. I see a strong parallel with Cathy and Heathcliff; their relationship always felt defined by their inability to truly connect and be together.

I prioritized important conversations and focused on showing affection early on, rather than waiting until the last minute.

Margot Robbie, who portrays Cathy, shared with EW that she enjoyed the scenes depicting her character’s hallucinations, noting they were a significant part of the original book as well.

Cathy is very ill and nearing the end of her life, experiencing hallucinations. A part I found compelling was when she began collecting bird feathers and becoming increasingly unstable. I appreciated that section of the story.

As a big fan, I was really surprised by the ending! It’s different from the book because Cathy actually dies at the end of the movie, and we don’t see her spirit going back to Wuthering Heights like she does in the story. It’s a pretty stark change, and honestly, a bit heartbreaking.

Explaining her decision to alter the story’s conclusion, Fennell stated that the beginning and ending are cyclical, mirroring the nature of love and the core theme of the book.

The book explores the idea that life is both endless and repeating. There’s no true ending, even when faced with devastating loss, because that’s the core feeling it conveys.

It explores the intense emotions people experience, focusing on their inner significance rather than just outward expression. Ultimately, that felt like a fitting conclusion to the story for me.

Jacob Elordi, who portrays Heathcliff, explained that his character’s love for Cathy persists beyond her death, though the movie doesn’t bring them together in the end.

He explained that the love described in the book feels eternal, going beyond the boundaries of life and death.

When acting out scenes with Cathy, especially as Heathcliff, I aimed for genuine connection, whether it felt emotional or physical. This didn’t change how I approached the performance, because I believed their souls remained connected even after the scene ended.

The story continues in the book, but the film suggests their connection will last forever, especially after seeing them together in that in-between place, according to the actor.

Wuthering Heights is in cinemas now.

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2026-02-15 17:49