Washington DC [US], March 8 (ANI): Director Emerald Fennell has cast new actors in her movie 'Wuthering Heights', which stars Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie in the lead roles, reported Variety. The film is an all-star adaptation of Emily Bronte's novel of the same name.

Margot Robbie will reportedly portray Catherine Earnshaw, the fierce and complex heroine at the heart of the story. Jacob Elordi will take on the iconic role of Heathcliff, the brooding, vengeful foster son of the Earnshaw family in the film, as per the outlet.

As per Variety, Owen Cooper, the British actor who is already making waves for his debut performance in Netflix's limited series 'Adolescence' even before its launch, is to play the teenage Heathcliff, the tortured antihero and one of the literary world's most famous characters.

Meanwhile, Charlotte Mellington, who recently starred as Lavender in the hit West End production of 'Matilda the Musical,' will play the teenage Catherine Earnshaw, whose passionate and dysfunctional relationship with Heathcliff ends in tragedy, reported Variety.

Vy Nguyen, who will play the younger Nelly Dean, the main narrator in the original novel, will also join the cast. 'Wuthering Heights' will mark the film debuts for Cooper, Mellington, and Nguyen.

As per the outlet, Wuthering Heights will mark the next step in a dramatic entry into the industry for the still-in-school youngster. From his very first audition tape, he was cast by 'Boiling Point' director Philip Barantini for the key lead role in Adolescence despite having zero previous acting experience.

'Adolescence' launches on Netflix on March 13. Wuthering Heights currently has a release date with Warner Bros of February 13, 2026.

Fennell, best known for her Academy Award-winning 'Promising Young Woman' and the recent hit 'Saltburn', returns to the director's chair for 'Wuthering Heights'.

Her collaboration with MRC and Robbie's production company, LuckyChap, marks their second joint venture after the success of Saltburn. The film will also feature performances by Hong Chau, Alison Oliver, and Shazad Latif.

Fennell's take on 'Wuthering Heights' is one of the most highly anticipated releases in the coming years. The filmmaker has long expressed her passion for the gothic genre, explaining her connection to it in an interview, as per Variety.

'I've always been obsessed with the gothic,' Fennell expressed, adding, 'It's a genre where comedy and horror, revulsion and desire, sex and death are forever entwined, where every exchange is heavy with the threat of violence, or sex or both.'

Her fascination with the gothic, she notes, spans beyond Bronte's work to authors like Daphne du Maurier and Angela Carter, whose stories are characterized by 'disturbing erotic power.'

With this perspective, Fennell is expected to bring a unique, contemporary touch to the timeless themes of obsession, passion, and tragedy that define 'Wuthering Heights'. (ANI)