Saltburn director Emerald Fennell to adapt Wuthering Heights

This classic of Gothic literature has already been adapted for the screen many times.

Recently seen as a Barbie doll, Emerald Fennell announced his return behind the camera, a year after Saltburn – a scathing, offbeat satire of the bourgeoisie that has boosted the popularity ratings of its two main male actors, Jacob Elordi and Barry Kheogan. Known for her provocative cinema and black comedies in the style of her first feature film, Promising Young Woman – kind of rape and revenge movie turned inside out and Oscar winner for best screenplay – the director is working on her next film: Wuthering Heights.

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On Twitter, Emerald Fennell posted a first macabre visual a few days ago to announce the news. On the latter, we can read:

“Be with me always. Take any form. Drive me crazy.”

A classic of Gothic literature, Wuthering Heightsor rather The Wuthering Heights in French is a novel by Emily Brontë written in 1847 – a year before her death – and under a male pseudonym so as not to shock morals. At the heart of the plot, a story of revenge and tortured romance between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw – daughter of the owner who owns the residence in which he now lives: Wuthering Heights.

With cruel, even tortured characters descending into madness, a dark setting where death is omnipresent, Emerald Fennell seems in tune with the choice of her cadaverous illustration.

It follows a long series of adaptations including one in 1939 by William Wyler with Laurence Olivier in the role of Heathcliff, a second in 1992 by Peter Kosminsky with Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes, as well as a third in 2011 directed by Andrea Arnold (Bird). On the small screen, in 2009, viewers were able to recognize Tom Hardy in the role of Heathcliff.

Who will be able to play the character who has become a cult figure in the vision portrayed by Emerald Fennell? Some fans are already expressing their preferences on social networks (notably Dev Patel), but for the moment, no casting has been announced.