Why Wuthering Heights Cuts So Many Characters From Emily Brontë’s Book

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Be warned: this article reveals details about the 2026 film adaptation of Wuthering Heights. Fans of the original novel will find that director Emerald Fennell’s version omits some characters, a choice she has explained.

Inspired by Emily Brontë’s classic novel, Wuthering Heights tells the story of the intense and ultimately tragic romance between Catherine, played by Margot Robbie, and Heathcliff, played by Jacob Elordi. Their love is challenged by the pressures of society and their families. The film adaptation made some changes, simplifying the story by removing a few characters.

The new adaptation makes some key changes to the story. Most significantly, it removes Cathy’s brother, Hindley, and instead has Cathy’s father abuse Heathcliff, which explains Heathcliff’s desire for revenge. Like previous movie versions, it also leaves out the children of Cathy, Heathcliff, and Hindley, who play important roles in the latter part of the book.

Emerald Fennell discussed her approach to adapting Wuthering Heights in an interview with ScreenRant’s Ash Crossan. She explained that before revisiting the novel with adaptation in mind, she first wrote down everything she remembered from it. Fennell noted that this initial recollection was a mix of accurate details and her own interpretations, similar to how Kate Bush’s song is inspired by and responds to the book’s themes.

As a huge fan of Wuthering Heights, what really struck me about this adaptation was how central Cathy and Heathcliff were. It truly felt like everyone involved understood that they are the heart of the story – that famous line, ‘Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same,’ perfectly captures why we keep returning to their story. That connection, that intensity, was what I was hoping to see explored, and I think it was. Of course, the other characters who influence their lives were present too, but it always came back to those two.

The story is told by Nelly Dean (Hong Chau), a housemaid at Wuthering Heights, who recounts events to a new resident years after they happen. The Earnshaw family lives in the dilapidated Wuthering Heights, while the Lintons occupy the comfortable Thrushcross Grange. The central conflict begins when Cathy chooses to marry Edgar Linton (Shazad Latif) instead of Heathcliff.

In his quest for revenge against the Earnshaw and Linton families, Heathcliff manipulates Edgar’s sister, Isabella. Actress Alison Oliver’s performance is especially noteworthy. Despite giving the film Wuthering Heights a middling score of 4 out of 10, Gregory Nussen of ScreenRant praises Oliver, stating she’s the only actor who fully captures the unique and intense style of director Emerald Fennell.

Emerald Fennell’s new film keeps the core love story of Wuthering Heights, though some critics aren’t sure about the chemistry between the actors Robbie and Elordi. Despite this, the film has received positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and is expected to do well in theaters. Ultimately, audiences will decide if Robbie and Elordi effectively portray the intense connection Fennell intended for their characters.

Wuthering Heights is now in theaters.

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2026-02-13 16:58