Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi Help 'Wuthering Heights' Crush the Box Office Despite Mediocre Reviews

Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi are powering Emerald Fennell's 2026 adaptation of Emily Brontë's classic novel, "Wuthering Heights," to a strong box office opening despite mediocre reviews from critics.

'Wuthering Heights' Enjoys an Impressive Box Office Start

On February 14, 2026, Variety reported that Wuthering Heights earned $11 million domestically on its opening day, making it the number one movie in America. The outlet also reported that the film was produced for $80 million, and it is projected to make $40 million domestically over its opening weekend. That alone would be a very solid start for the film. However, it gets better than that.

Variety also projected that Wuthering Heights is expected to earn an additional $40 million from international markets over the weekend. If those numbers hold or are surpassed, the film will have recovered its production budget within days of its release. While it will also need to recoup its promotional costs to start making a profit, current reports point to the movie being an impressive success.

'Wuthering Heights' Has Received Mixed Reviews From Critics

On Rotten Tomatoes, Wuthering Heights holds a 63% Tomatometer score from critics. While that figure is unimpressive, the website's page summarizing how movie critics reviewed the film includes a positive take from Peter Travers of The Travers Take. "Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi get steamy in Emerald Fennell’s overheated but undercooked take on Emily Brontë’s classic Gothic romance in which they suck each other’s faces with a wild, porny abandon that would shock Victorians. No complaints here."

Additionally, Adam Graham from the Detroit News wrote a review that praised the movie's scope and energy. "This is a large-scale costume drama with an epic scope, and Fennell makes sure it's anything but stodgy."

On the flip side, several Wuthering Heights reviews are sharply negative. Marianna Neal from Impression Blend wrote, "It feels like a movie made for Tumblr posts." Keith Garlington from Keith & the Movies added, "Fennell’s new spin on Wuthering Heights is more in love with itself than with anything Emily Brontë put to page in her highly regarded 1847 novel. Sadly, it results in a surprisingly hollow and frustratingly scattershot exercise in overindulgence."

Ultimately, the majority of the reviews portray the movie as being mediocre. For example, Hannah Lodge from Screen Rex noted, "Fennell’s bold reimagining of the source material might have worked with more cohesive character development, but as it stands, this adaptation is best appreciated as a visual feast rather than an emotionally satisfying story."

Film Feeder's Jack Martin echoed that sentiment. "Wuthering Heights can’t help but feel as though something is missing amidst the undeniable handsomeness of the production, something which gives it a soul beneath the gorgeous exterior."

Despite mixed reviews from critics, Wuthering Heights' success makes sense based on the responses from regular viewers. On Rotten Tomatoes, the audience score stands at 85%, which is more than 20 points higher than the critics' score.