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A dark, dramatic story of love, revenge and obsession. Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. Mystery, suspense, and a remote, stormy farmhouse set in Northern England.
It’s time to prepare your yearning heart, because the newest film adaption of Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights is due to hit screens very, very soon. And, honestly? It looks like the sort of movie that we’ll be thinking about for days after.
Other than the glamorous, all-star cast, it’s directed by Emerald Fennell of Promising Young Woman and Saltburn fame. So basically, expect even more tension, more drama, and more obsession than any other take you’ve seen of Emily Bronte’s 1847 classic.
While we wait for the February 13 release date, let’s dive into what we know about the film so far.
First things first, what is Wuthering Heights about?
Image source:Warner Bros
Set in the wild, windswept moors of Northern England, the story follows Heathcliff, a mysterious orphan adopted by the Earnshaw family.
Heathcliff forms a complicated bond with the Catherine Earnshaw, the youngest daughter, while her brother Hindley takes an instant disliking towards him.
Things get messy when the wealthy Linton siblings Edgar and Isabella come into the picture. Look, long story short, Catherine ends up accepting Edgar Linton’s marriage proposal due to his social status – despite the fact she’s in love with Heathcliff. Heathcliff flees the household heartbroken and angry, and returns years later, consumed by revenge but also mysteriously wealthy.
Heathcliff sets out to destroy all those who have wronged him, while two generations of families then deal with the repercussions of toxic love, loss, betrayal and social class.
Where was Wuthering Heights filmed?
Image source:Warner Bros
For such an intensely dark drama, it makes sense the location of the film has to match the mood. And that’s where the moors, mines, and dramatic landscapes of Yorkshire in Northern England come into play.
While the bulk of filming was done at Sky Studios Elstree in Southern Hertfordshire, many stunning outdoor shots – including the haunting glimpse of Margot Robbie walking through a field in a billowing wedding dress – were all shot in Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Here’s the lowdown.
Old Gang Lead Mines, Swaledale, Yorkshire Dales National Park
The protected remains of Yorkshire’s Old Gang Smelt Mill, an early 19th-century lead mining industry site, was used to film some of the moody outdoor scenes for Wuthering Heights. The historical site was once a thriving centre for lead mining, shaped by hard labour, isolation, and relentless forces of nature.
These days, tourists can explore Old Gang on foot as part of the walking route through the Yorkshire Dales National Park. In good news for those who like a spontaneous adventure, the ruins are part of the open countryside and not facilitated by tour centre admissions.
Bouldershaw Lane, Swaledale, Yorkshire Dales National Park
Image source:Warner Bros
The ethereal shot of Margot in a wide field, carrying a bouquet, while the wind swirls her wedding veil, was filmed less than two kilometres from the Old Gang site.
The National Park’s communications manager Mark Sadler told Condé Nast that hikers would be able to walk “right past” the field where the scene was shot.
“There’s an old farm building which was also used,” he said. “The field is private, so you can’t go into it, but it’s visible from the road.”
For avid lit lovers and hikers: The five-and-a-half mile circular walk from Surrender Bridge through Old Gang and to Reeth High Moor is the hike to undertake if you want to get relatively close to the magic of Wuthering Heights.
Booze Moor, Arkengarthdale, Yorkshire Dales National Park
Arkengarthdale is the northernmost valley in the Dales, and was a major centre of lead mining for centuries. TheWuthering Heights cast and crew set up a base in Langthwaite, one of the few villages dotting the valley, during the filming period.
The steep rise of the moors above Arkengarthdale and Booze make for another moody backdrop for the film, perfect for our star-crossed lovers to stare off into the distance dramatically.
Melbecks Moor, Swaledale, Yorkshire Dales National Park
The open, windswept high ground of Melbecks Moor makes an incredible backdrop for intense scenes between Heathcliff and Catherine. The remote, rugged terrain is basically giving main character itself, with the area famous for its fast-changing weather. At times the Melbeck Moor has been known to go from sun, rain, and even snow in a singular day!
The Moor is a challenging walk for avid hikers, so if you’re a literature fan keen to see the IRL spot, preparation is key. Melbeck Moor can be steep and is exposed, windswept and trails are boggy, rocky and uneven. Sturdy shoes, layers, and a can-do attitude are a must!
Simonstone Hall Hotel & Restaurant, Hawes, Yorkshire Dales National Park
For a quintessential British country hotel experience, it doesn’t get much better than Simonstone Hall in the heart of Yorkshire Dales National Park.
The cast and crew reserved all 20 rooms for two weeks during filming, hosting post-production interviews in the charming building.
And in exciting news for those who really want to live the experience: the hotel is offering Wuthering Heights-themed stays in February and March 2026.
The romantic packages include champagne upon arrival, chocolate-dipped strawberries, a candle-lit two-course dinner, with the days open to exploring and the nights focused on resetting and relaxing by a cosy fire.
(You can find out more here.)
How many Wuthering Heights adaptions have there been?
Of course, this isn’t the first-ever Wuthering Heights adaption to exist. There was a 1939 version, a 1970 version, a 1992 version starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche, and a 2011 British adaption starring Tom Hardy and Catherine Riley. You know, just to name a few!
What are fans and critics saying about Wuthering Heights so far?
Image source:Warner Bros
Look, let’s just say the news of the film was divisive. When the trailer came out, it had many literature lovers screaming into their beloved copies of Wuthering Heights.
This wasn’t helped by the tagline for the film, which read ‘The greatest love story of all time’, leading to one fan saying they’ll pretend it’s an original film. “I know if I watch it as an adaption I’ll hate it,” they commented on the YouTube trailer.
“If you listen really closely, at the end you can hear Emily Bronte screaming from beyond the grave,” someone else joked. “This looks good until you remember it’s supposed to be a Wuthering Heights adaptation,” another person mourned.
I don’t know. We were kinda here for Margot’s red latex look, regardless of it not being very stereotypically 19th-century. Can’t we just have some fun around here?!
Watch the trailer for Wuthering Heights below:
Can’t get enough of moody UK filming locations? Check out our guide to Frankenstein and Downton Abbey here.
