Before there was Margot Robbie & Jacob Elordi there was Kaya Scodelario & James Howson and Charlotte Riley & Tom Hardy, and countless other Cathy and Heathcliffs. In fact, there have been a whopping 28 TV and movie adaptations Emily Brontë's enduring romance novel, Wuthering Heights.
So if you want to watch the top contenders for comparison or maybe you just love love, here's where you can catch up on the very best Wuthering Heights adaptations, all the way from 1939 up to 2026.
Wuthering Heights (1939)
As the oldest adaptation of Wuthering Heights, this film is also the only one shot in black and white. While this does give it an air of nostalgia, it's contrasted by the fact that this film is actually set in the nineteenth century instead of 1771 to 1801.
While it aims to accurately follow the tumultuous love story between Heathcliff and Cathy, this film only recounts 16 of the novel's total 34 chapters. Despite this, it went on to be nominated for a staggering eight Oscar Awards in 1940 and won for Best Cinematography.
Director: William Wyler | Cast: Merle Oberon as Cathy, Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff, Sarita Wooton as young Cathy, Rex Downing as young Heathcliff, David Niven as Edgar, Geraldine Fitzgerald as Isabella, Cecil Kellaway as Mr Earnshaw, Leo G. Carroll as Joseph.
Language: English | Rating: PG
Genre: Tragic romance
Available on: Prime Video
Wuthering Heights (1970)
More of an adventure romance, this version has the lowest classification rating at G, so it's a great start for young Brontë fans. It has a real air of classic filmmaking about it, from the music and detailed costumes to the scenery, as well as an incredible cast (hello, Timothy Dalton and Anna Calder-Marshall).
While it may be rated in the middle-ground of the Wuthering Heights films, it is certainly not to be overlooked.
1970's Wuthering Heights is not available to stream on any paid service or digital storefront, but at the time of writing, it is available to stream in its entirety on a small YouTube channel.
Director: William Wyler | Cast: Anna Calder-Marshall as Cathy, Timothy Dalton as Heathcliff, Ian Ogilvy as Edgar, Hilary Heath as Isabella, Harry Andrews as Mr Earnshaw, Aubrey Woods as Joseph.
Language: English | Rating: G
Genre: Adventure, drama, romance
Available on: YouTube
Wuthering Heights (1978)
This was the first TV version of Brontë's love story and is told over five episodes, averaging just under an hour in length each. This makes for easily digestible viewing for such a tumultuous love story and ensures you don't miss a thing.
Since the entire story is covered, and with such incredible attention to detail, this is quite possibly the closest adaptation to the novel as you can get. For fans of the book, this is the version for you.
Like the 1970 film that preceded it, the 1978 Wuthering Heights miniseries is not available to purchase or stream in Australia. However, you can watch the entire series for free on the website Dailymotion if you so please.
Director: Peter Hammond | Cast: Kay Adshead as Cathy, Ken Hitchison as Heathcliff, David Robb as Edgar, Caroline Langrishe as Isabella, John Collin as Mr Earnshaw, Brian Wilde as Joseph.
Language: English | Rating: PG
Genre: Tragic romance
Available on: Dailymotion
Wuthering Heights/Arashi ga oka (1988)
Wuthering Heights is such a popular novel it was even adapted into a Japanese version in the late 80s, titled Arashi ga oka.
Set in medieval Japan, young Kinu is drawn to the charismatic, yet low-born, Onimaru, to her father's disapproval. And so, much like the original, their forbidden love story plays out. Interestingly, this version is rated the third highest, ahead of the 2026, 1998, 1992 and 2011 adaptations.
Arashi ga oka is maybe the hardest Wuthering Heights adaptation to stream. While it was streaming on MUBI at some stage, the only option to pay for it now is by accessing Hulu in Japan with a VPN, such as ExpressVPN.
Otherwise, you could always just punch Arashi ga oka into your search engine of choice and find a dodgy stream somewhere like we definitely didn't.
Director: Yoshishige Yoshida | Cast: Yûsaku Matsuda, Yûko Tanaka, Tatsuo Nadaka, Eri Ishida, Nagare Hagiwara, Keiko Itô.
Language: Japanese | Rating: Unknown
Genre: Gothic jidaigeki drama
Available on: Hulu Japan (via VPN)
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Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights (1992)
Filmed in the early 1990s among the stunning rolling green hills of the UK, together Juliette Binoche (The English Patient, Chocolat) and Ralph Fiennes (Harry Potter, Conclave) transformed their careers with this adaptation. It was filmed in the first decade of Binoche's acting career and was the film that inspired Spielberg to later cast Fiennes in Schindler's List. Interestingly, author Emily Brontë is portrayed in the movie, providing the narrative framing, and is played by none other than Sinéad O'Connor. Yes, that Sinéad O'Connor.
This film was formally titled Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights due to the producer of the previous version, Sam Goldwyn, threatening to sue Paramount, claiming they owned the rights to the title. Nevertheless it was well-liked and unlike the 1939 film, this one is told in full, leaving no stone unturned.
Director: Peter Kosminsky | Cast: Juliette Binoche as Cathy, Ralph Fiennes as Heathcliff, Jessica Hennell as young Cathy, Jon Howard as young Heathcliff, Simon Shepherd as Edgar, Sophie Ward as Isabella, John Woodvine as Mr Thomas Earnshaw, Robert Demeger as Joseph.
Language: English | Rating: PG
Genre: Dystopian thriller
Available on: Prime Video (rent/buy) or Apple TV
Wuthering Heights (1998)
Quite possibly the most average of all the Wuthering Heights adaptations, the 1998 version is rated around a 6 out of 10. While some viewers have found it to be rushed, telling the entire story in just under 2 hours, others found it to be most true to the characters, depicting them as the self-destructive, vengeful people Brontë wrote them to be, rather than overly-romantic.
Interestingly enough, it was Matthew Macfadyen's debut acting role, which saw him go onto other big name productions including Death at a Funeral (as Daniel), Pride & Prejudice (as Mr Darcy), The Three Musketeers (as Athos) and Succession (as Tom Wambsgans).
Director: David Skynner | Cast: Orla Brady as Cathy, Robert Cavanah as Heathcliff, Kadie Savage as young Cathy, Terry Clynes as young Heathcliff, Polly Hemingway as Nelly, Crispin Bonham-Carter as Edgar, Flora Montgomery as Isabella, Peter Davidson (no, not that Pete Davidson) as Joseph.
Language: English | Rating: M
Genre: Romantic drama
Available on: Rent or buy on Prime Video or Apple TV.
Wuthering Heights (2009)
Seeing Tom Hardy with long hair is like watching Jason Statham diving in the Olympics - it's deeply confusing yet impossible to look away from.
Unlike the versions that came before it, this is a mini-series told in two parts. Each part is just over an hour in length, making it the shortest version to date. They're divided based on Heathcliff's arrival and eventual return to Gimmerton, so it leaves room for a solid intermission.
This is often hailed as one of the more popular versions, alongside the original, perhaps because it has an air of true love about it. The films leads, Hardy and Riley, actually married five years later in real life and have been together ever since.
Director: Coky Giedroyc | Cast: Charlotte Riley as Cathy, Tom Hardy as Heathcliff, Sarah Lancaster as Nelly, Andrew Lincoln as Edgar, Rosalind Halstead as Isabella, Kevin McNally as Mr Earnshaw, Des McAleer as Joseph.
Language: English | Rating: M
Available on: Apple TV
Wuthering Heights (2011)
Unfortunately, the lowest-rated out of all the Wuthering Heights films on this list, the 2011 adaptation aimed to deliver an alternative interpretation of Brontë's novel, given how many times it had already been remade. Director Andrea Arnold's (American Honey, Big Little Lies) signature flare for the the unusual makes this adaptation pretty hit-or-miss for Brontë fans.
The positives? The scenery, cinematography and costumes are all stunning.
The negatives? The offbeat flow results in a lack of chemistry and passion between these well-known characters.
Director: Andrea Arnold | Cast: Kaya Scodelario as older Cathy, James Howson as older Heathcliff, Shannon Beer as young Cathy, Solomon Glave as young Heathcliff, Simone Jackson as Nelly, James Northcote as Edgar, Nichola Burley as Isabella, Paul Hilton as Mr Earnshaw, Steve Evets as Joseph.
Language: English | Rating: MA15+
Available on: Prime Video (rent/buy) or Apple TV (rent/buy)
"Wuthering Heights" (2026)
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The most recent version of Emily Brontë's beloved classic released this year and has polarised audiences and Brontë fans. Director Emerald Fennell (Saltburn) revolutionises the classic love story with dream-like visuals, epic costumes, and jaw-dropping cinematography.
This unoffically Aussie adaptation of the romance classic stars Margot Robbie as Cathy and Jacob Elordi in the role of Heathcliff. It is currently playing in cinemas across the country. Following Warner Bros.' recent cinema-to-streaming pipeline, it's now available on HBO Max to stream from May 1.
Director: Emerald Fennell | Cast: Margot Robbie as Cathy, Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, Hong Chau as Nelly, Shazad Latif as Edgar, Alison Oliver as Isabella, Martin Clunes as Mr Earnshaw, Ewan Mitchell as Joseph.
Language: English | Rating: M
Available in: HBO Max
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Christie Graham
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