‘Wuthering Heights’ draws new readers ahead of Emerald Fennell film

Thousands of people are rereading or discovering Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights as Emerald Fennell’s film adaptation, starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, is set to arrive in theaters just before Valentine’s Day, the reporter found in a Jan. 29, 2026, article. Sales of Wuthering Heights more than doubled in 2025 compared with the previous year, reaching 180,000 print copies in the United States, according to Circana Bookscan, and six bookstores contacted by the reporter reported a sales bump after a trailer was released in September.

“You’re the fourth one we’ve sold today,” Stephanie Valdez, owner of Community Bookstore in Brooklyn, told the reporter. Readers are approaching the 1847 Gothic novel as a group activity: Vogue selected it as the first pick for a new book club, the singer Charli XCX is releasing a companion album to the film, and social media is full of reactions.

“74 pages into wuthering heights and why did nobody tell me that reading this is like eavesdropping on the most unhinged gossip you’ve ever heard,” a TikTok post by Toini Ilonummi said. Some readers said they were reading or rereading the book specifically because of the movie: “My ego won’t let me go see the movie without reading the book,” said Aadi Miglani, 23.

Local events have followed the renewed interest.

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