“50 Shades of Brontë”: Wuthering Heights teaser garners some strong reactions, and some are too hilarious to miss

It seems like the freshly dropped teaser of Wuthering Heights has been a hot topic of public discourse on the internet, as it has gained some stark reactions.

The comment section under the video has been a hotbed of burning questions and opinions. Polemic comments regarding its visual content, aesthetic choices, its music, its loyalty in relation to the original literary source, and the apparent quotation mark on the title of the film have been extensively raised. These have not only filled the comment section of the video but have made their way to Twitter, Instagram, and Reddit as well.

A lot of commentators were of the opinion that the strong erotic nature in its teaser was unfitting to the original story of Emily Brontë. They even felt it took the road of films such as Fifty Shades of Grey. As one of the commenters on YouTube, @TheOneTrueJack wrote:

"50 Shades of Brontë"

Keep reading to find out more about netizens' responses to the teaser for Wuthering Heights.

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"Saltburn Heights, huh?": An overflow of salt-burning comments on the teaser of Wuthering Heights pouring in

The teaser for Wuthering Heights has raised some pertinent questions, as well as an overwhelming amount of polarized responses from the audience. By looking at the teaser, some users felt it was reminiscent of the helmer Emerald Fennell's previous directorial, Saltburn (2023). One of the Redditors named @CiriOh even wrote:

Saltburn Heights, huh?

This is not the first time the film has been under public scrutiny. A lot of people felt that its casting was not accurate in relation to the original literary work of Emily Brontë. Heathcliff, in the book, is a person of color. But in the film, Jacob Elordi, a white actor, was cast to play this role. A lot of people also felt that a younger actor was more suited to play the role of Catherine.

However, upon the release of the teaser for Wuthering Heights, things got more heated up in the public realm as the audience pointed out several more aspects that were present in the video. It gives us a sense of the tone that the film sets, which is filled with predominantly erotic overtones.

This did not sit well with many people, as they felt it was not well suited to the novel that Emily Brontë wrote. One of the comments on Reddit, by @ThinWhiteDuke00 mentions:

"Raunchy toxic romcom with Wuthering Heights label slapped on it. Embarrassing.. a story of generational emotional abuse which they've frontloaded with bottom of the barrel sexual marketing."

Some of them also drew parallels with the nature of films such as Fifty Shades of Grey. A user on YouTube named @xmenlover92 wrote an in-depth, detailed critical analysis addressing the issue by writing:

"I've not read Wuthering Heights, but I know some of the plot. Now, I will say a couple shots look nice, particulary the scene of Catherine (maybe?) standing in the snow with a red cape. This film, however, misses the point completely. Wuthering Heights is NOT a romance. It's a revenge drama with elements of romantic LONGING. Heathcliff is not really a tragic, romantic figure as much as he is a broken anti-hero who is out for revenge against those who wronged him. This includes Catherine. This film also is leaning towards eroticism it seems, possibly leading to an R rating. Wuthering Heights is not fifty shades of grey, and this trailer makes you wonder if the screenwriters just read the first chapter of the book and then read Fifty Shades seconds later."

Alongside, the presence of Charlie XCX's music has also received a strong response from the audience. One of the most hilarious comments about the film, in relation to its music as well as the casting, has to be a Twitter comment written by a user, @chappellbrina:

The idea of using contemporary music in period films is not something a lot of people usually prefer. But some also do. Contradicting the criticism of Charlie XCX's association with the film's music, one of the commenters on YouTube named @hatguyfan22 felt this dichotomy between its audio and visuals to be working in the film. The comment says:

"Wow. I usually hate modern music in period pieces unless it’s using a classical orchestra but the song kinda works well here. Kind of."

One question kept popping up in several audiences' minds regarding the quotation marks of the film's title. Lately, strategic symbols have been used in films such as Marvel's Thunderbolts* in order to denote a deeper meaning and context. Similarly, in "Wuthering Heights," it could be on similar lines, as a user on YouTube, @powerrangerrick4675, pointed out:

"It's "Wuthering Heights" in quotation.... It may be like Marvel's Thunderbolts* with the Asterisk. Maybe?"

A lot of people felt that this film could possibly be an individual interpretation. The presence of the quotation marks is not just simply there. It might be highlighting the fact that the film takes a completely different route from the literary material. A Redditor named @snickittyboopbop writes:

"Just now processing this:

Is the title stylized with quotation marks because it's a purposeful deviation or potential parody of the original story? I feel like people are naturally upset about the direction it's taking, but it seems like Fennell is telegraphic her intent to not be faithful to the material at all. Which I kinda admire"

However, the teaser of Wuthering Heights has also met with some positive comments online. Some of them lauded its cinematography, as a Redditor named @seymourlabib penned its praise:

"cinematography looks amazing as expected. linus sandgren never disappoints"

Several other comments have felt the film fulfills the purpose of Brontë's Wuthering Heights, as some people do not agree with the flak that the film is receiving. They feel that this film explores the genre of dark romance, and they are eagerly excited to watch the film. Some of the comments on Instagram go as follows:

So, it looks like Wuthering Heights has stirred many discourses on the internet after all. The strong public opinion, be it positive or negative, could in a way be lucrative to the film's marketing. It goes without saying that these controversial aspects of the film have certainly heightened its anticipation even more.

Ultimately, the audience can make complete sense of the film once it releases in time for the next Valentine's, that is, on 13th February 2026.

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Also read: Where was Wuthering Heights shot?