Female-Led 'Wuthering Heights' Tops Box Office With $34.8M
Emerald Fennell’s film opened to $34.8 million domestically and an $82 million global debut estimate, powered by a largely female audience and theatrical holdovers from Valentine's weekend.
Overview
Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights opened to an estimated $34.8 million in its first three days to take the No. 1 spot at the North American box office, according to studio estimates.
The film drew an estimated 76% female audience, cost a reported $80 million to produce, and sits at a mixed 63% on Rotten Tomatoes with a B CinemaScore and 51% saying they'd definitely recommend it.
Warner Bros. called the global debut about $82 million, and the release arrived as the studio's future was noted as unsettled amid a Paramount takeover bid, while PostTrak and Comscore provided audience and box office tracking.
Sony's animated GOAT finished second with $26 million from 3,863 locations and a projected $32 million four-day total, while Crime 101 opened to $15.1 million and was expected to reach about $17.8 million by Monday.
Wuthering Heights could rise to roughly $40 million by the end of Monday's Presidents Day holiday and still has planned international openings in Japan and Vietnam on Feb. 27 and in China on March 13.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the weekend as a studio competition and financial narrative, using celebratory and competitive language (e.g., "heralding", "would love to chew off"), prioritizing studio success and market-by-market grosses while relying on studio-friendly context (Amazon's spending) and omitting critical perspectives about long-term box office sustainability.
Sources (4)
FAQ
Emerald Fennell's 2026 adaptation rejects strict fidelity to Emily Brontë's novel in favor of an unconventional reinvention, creating what has been described as a glossy reimagining for a new generation[2]. The film emphasizes a steamy, visual approach to the romance, with elaborate set design costing approximately $80 million and featuring detailed production design comparable to classic epics like Gone with the Wind[4]. Rather than serving as traditional fan fiction, the film functions as an ode to the romance genre itself, prioritizing the chemistry between leads Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi over narrative fidelity[4].
The film drew an estimated 76% female audience during its opening weekend[3]. This strong appeal to female viewers appears connected to the film's focus on Catherine's agency and desire, its romantic intensity, and Fennell's directorial perspective as a female filmmaker reimagining a classic gothic romance[4]. The marketing strategy also emphasized the passionate romance between the two leads through dramatic imagery reminiscent of classic romantic films[4].
The film has received mixed reviews, sitting at 63% on Rotten Tomatoes with a B CinemaScore[3]. Critics are divided on whether the film succeeds in balancing style with substance. Some reviewers, such as Alan French, praise how the adaptation explores themes of entitlement and sociopathy through its characters[3], while others, like Terence Johnson, argue that style does not adequately substitute for substantive storytelling[3]. Approximately 51% of audiences say they would definitely recommend the film[3].
The 2026 film adaptation follows Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw's turbulent romance across 18th-century England[3]. Key plot points include Catherine's conflicted feelings between her love for the orphaned Heathcliff and her desire to marry wealthy neighbor Edgar Linton for social advancement[1]. The film emphasizes their "savage, untamed and tempestuous love" through visual storytelling, with production designer Suzie Davis creating two contrasting estates—the dark, jagged Wuthering Heights and the structured, refined Thrushcross Grange—to reflect the central conflict[4]. While the core love story remains intact, Fennell's version diverges from strict novel adaptation to emphasize romance and visual grandeur rather than complete narrative fidelity[2].
Beyond its strong North American and global debut of approximately $82 million, Wuthering Heights has planned international openings in Japan and Vietnam on February 27, 2026, and in China on March 13, 2026[3]. These strategic releases could further boost the film's global box office performance beyond its current $80 million production budget.
History
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