Emerald Fennell’s take on Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights opened the long holiday weekend with a bang — and a bit of controversy. The R-rated drama, led by Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, bowed in 3,682 North American theaters and pulled in an estimated $33 million over the standard weekend.
Studios pushed that number higher for the extended President’s Day frame: Warner Bros. projected roughly $40 million through the holiday, while independent trackers put the four-day haul closer to $35 million. Either way, it’s a healthy start for a bold, grown-up literary adaptation.
Early context and what it means
Wuthering Heights’ launch matters because films like this usually rely on momentum rather than superhero-sized openings. The movie also added about $42 million from 76 international territories, bringing its global debut to roughly $82 million — just above the reported $80 million production budget. That doesn’t include the hefty global marketing tour, though, so the path to profit still depends on steady box-office legs and downstream deals.
There was an interesting business beat behind the release: Netflix reportedly offered $150 million for exclusive streaming rights, but Fennell and producers (including Robbie) declined. They bet on a theatrical-first rollout with Warner Bros., a move that bought visibility and a No. 1 debut but delayed streaming revenue.
Who showed up — and how they felt
Opening crowds skewed heavily female — about 75% of viewers — which tracks with the Valentine’s Day timing and the film’s romantic-drama hooks. Exit polling delivered a CinemaScore of B, meaning reactions were mixed; some viewers praised Fennell’s risky, stylized reimagining, while others found the tone and pacing uneven. Those split reactions could temper weekend-to-weekend staying power, though strong word-of-mouth might still keep it alive.
Style notes
Critics and audiences have been divided over Fennell’s choices: the film’s physicality, vivid production design and provocative reinterpretation have energized many viewers and unnerved some Brontë purists. Those choices likely helped its international appeal, especially in markets that respond to visual spectacle.
Competing releases and the wider weekend
The slate was crowded. Family animation GOAT, from Sony Pictures Animation and executive produced by Steph Curry, opened to about $26 million domestically from 3,862 theaters, with four-day estimates near $32 million. It added $15.6 million from 42 international markets, giving it a $47.6 million global start against an $80 million production budget. Family audiences gave GOAT an A CinemaScore, which bodes well for repeat business and long legs through spring.
The R-rated heist Crime 101, starring Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Barry Keoghan, opened to roughly $15.1 million across 3,161 locations and picked up about $12 million internationally. With a production budget around $90 million (financed by Amazon MGM), Crime 101 will be watching retention and streaming deals closely.
Holdovers and specialty fare
Holdovers did respectable work in a quieter tentpole weekend. Send Help slipped to fourth with about $9 million for the frame ($10.7 million across the extended period) and has now earned roughly $48 million domestically and $72 million worldwide on a $40 million budget. Angel Studios’ Solo mio and a Neon limited-release mockumentary also found their audiences — the latter posting a strong per-screen average that could prompt expansion.
Broad trends
Domestic receipts looked about 8% ahead of the comparable weekend last year, though that number is skewed by last year’s big superhero launch. For mid-budget films, a lighter blockbuster calendar creates breathing room to build audiences, but sustainability still comes down to word-of-mouth, weekday holds, and smart platform timing.
Studios pushed that number higher for the extended President’s Day frame: Warner Bros. projected roughly $40 million through the holiday, while independent trackers put the four-day haul closer to $35 million. Either way, it’s a healthy start for a bold, grown-up literary adaptation.0
Studios pushed that number higher for the extended President’s Day frame: Warner Bros. projected roughly $40 million through the holiday, while independent trackers put the four-day haul closer to $35 million. Either way, it’s a healthy start for a bold, grown-up literary adaptation.1
Studios pushed that number higher for the extended President’s Day frame: Warner Bros. projected roughly $40 million through the holiday, while independent trackers put the four-day haul closer to $35 million. Either way, it’s a healthy start for a bold, grown-up literary adaptation.2