The film opens below early projections in North America
Wuthering Heights is facing unexpected pressure at the domestic box office during the Valentine’s Day and Presidents’ Day holiday weekend. The movie, directed by Emerald Fennell and starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, opened on February 14, 2026, with a Friday gross of 13.3 million dollars, including 3 million dollars from previews. Warner Bros. continues to project a four-day opening of 40 million dollars. However, rival studios estimate the total could land between 33 million and 35 million dollars. Earlier tracking had hinted at the fact that the film might debut closer to 50 million dollars in North America.
Audience scores and reviews show mixed reactions
This new adaptation of Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel has received divided reactions from both audiences and critics. The film earned a B CinemaScore, which was lower than expected for its target audience. Similarly, on Rotten Tomatoes, the critics’ score stands at 63 percent, while the audience score is stronger at 84 percent. Warner Bros. has noted that PostTrak exit scores are more positive. On Friday, 53% of ticket buyers were between 18 and 34 years old, showing that younger viewers were strongly represented in early attendance.
The studio remains confident in global performance
Warner Bros. and partner MRC reportedly paid 80 million dollars for global rights, outbidding a 150 million dollar offer from Netflix. Overseas, the studio expects the film to earn 40 million dollars, which would bring the global opening total to 80 million dollars. While the movie is still projected to lead the holiday weekend, its long-term performance may depend on word of mouth and continued interest after February 14, 2026. Meanwhile, its critical reception has ranged from mixed to negative, showing a rather difficult reaction from experts and fans.