Every Wuthering Heights film rated as new Margot Robbie trailer arrives
The first trailer for the new 'Wuthering Heights' has dropped, and fans of the tale can't help but gear up with excitement
Wuthering Heights has been reimagined countless times throughout the decades, with numerous adaptations breathing fresh life into the classic tale on screen.
Following the release of the first trailer for the upcoming 'Wuthering Heights', which promises to captivate Hollywood audiences with stars Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, devotees of the story are buzzing with anticipation.
For those who can't bear to wait until February 2026 for this fresh interpretation of the beloved classic, there's an extensive collection of versions available to explore right now.
Drawing from genuine viewer scores on Rotten Tomatoes and rankings compiled by cinema lovers at Screen Rant, we've compiled these adaptations from finest to poorest, ensuring you know precisely which ones deserve your time, , reports the Express.
Wuthering Heights (1939) 96%
Leading the pack, the most highly-rated cinematic version of Brontë's masterpiece is William Wyler's 1939 production.
Achieving an impressive 96% approval rating from audiences and earning critical acclaim upon its debut, the film secured eight Academy Award nominations.
One review said: "A riveting tale adapted from the ever-popular Emily Brontë novel, this is done with top-par acting skills by top-par actors - Olivier and Oberon. This cannot be successfully duplicated, so no one should try. This adaptation comes very close to the subjective feeling of the book, something movies are almost never able to accomplish. This one did."
However, it's worth mentioning that this film portrays solely the opening half of the book and therefore omits the second set of characters. Taking on the lead parts as Catherine and Heathcliff in this adaptation are Hollywood icons Merle Oberon and Laurence Olivier.
Wuthering Heights (2011) 69%
Helmed by Andrea Arnold, this 2011 adaptation boasts a relatively superior rating on Rotten Tomatoes when compared to alternative adaptations, achieving 69%, featuring Kaya Scodelario in the role of Catherine Earnshaw, alongside James Howson portraying Heathcliff. This interpretation, whilst adhering to the source material's storyline, places considerably greater emphasis on the protagonists' formative years and their youthful period, which audiences thoroughly appreciated.
One viewer said: "This atmospheric take on Wuthering Heights is a slow-burning masterpiece, drenched in raw emotion and strikingly interpretative cinematography. Its haunting visuals and immersive landscapes compelled me to look up director Andrea Arnold-something I rarely do-but now I'm eager to explore more of her work."
Wuthering Heights (1970) 64%
Featuring Anna Calder-Marshall and Timothy Dalton in the two principal characters, this 1970 interpretation of the beloved novel achieves a 64% aggregate rating. Under Robert Fuest's direction, this production focuses exclusively on the initial portion of the source narrative, and whilst it might not represent an immediate crowd-pleaser, cinema enthusiasts have embraced it wholeheartedly.
One viewer wrote: "No adaptation of Wuthering Heights will ever come close to the 1939 version, and while this one further proves this point, it's also one of the better ones. It is intense in drama. Nevertheless, the characters, scenarios, and dialogue are just more convincing in the 1939 adaptation and thus more captivating."
Wuthering Heights (1992) 31%
This marks the first ever film to bring the entire novel to the big screen and is regarded by countless period drama enthusiasts as the finest attempt to achieve this feat.
Helmed by Peter Kosminsky, this 1992 interpretation featured the cinematic debut of BAFTA-winning performer Ralph Fiennes as Heathcliff, opposite Juliette Binoche as Catherine.
However, despite its acclaim among Wuthering Heights devotees, it fails to achieve critical success today, earning just a 31% rating on the review platform.
This hasn't deterred period drama aficionados from raving about this interpretation, with one fan declaring: "My absolute favourite version of Wuthering Heights. Wouldn't have it any other way. Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche are perfect together.
"Their love story was beyond heart-wrenching and moving. It left such an impression during my first viewing that I refused to watch any other remakes afterwards."
The list of film adaptations doesn't end there; it includes the 1958 version featuring Richard Burton and Rosemary Harris, as well as a 'modern take' on the story in the 2003 MTV film directed by Suri Krishnamma. Devotees of the novel can enjoy the 2009 adaptation of Wuthering Heights with Tom Hardy or the 1998 film starring Robert Cavanah and Orla Brady.
And let's not forget the most recent adaptation, released in 2022, ahead of the upcoming 2026 release. None of these films have yet managed to stir up the same level of fan enthusiasm; with few online reviews, they currently don't hold any score.