Wuthering Heights Tops Box Office with $38M North America Debut

Emerald Fennell's adaptation of Wuthering Heights took the top spot at the North American box office over the Presidents' Day weekend, earning $38 million domestically and $83 million worldwide. The film, starring Margot Robbie as Cathy and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff, opened in theaters on Friday amid high interest from the holiday crowd.

Background

Emily Bronte's 1847 novel Wuthering Heights has seen many film versions since the first one in 1939. Directors have tried to capture the story of love, revenge, and the wild Yorkshire moors over the years. This latest version comes from Emerald Fennell, who won an Oscar for writing Promising Young Woman in 2020. Her style often includes dark twists, which shows up in this take on the classic tale.

The movie hit theaters during a four-day holiday weekend that included Valentine's Day on Saturday and Presidents' Day on Monday. Families and couples filled theaters, boosting ticket sales across the board. Last year's Presidents' Day weekend saw lower totals, but this year beat those numbers thanks to new releases like this one. Fennell's past work, including Saltburn, built buzz for the film. Margot Robbie, fresh from other hits, and Jacob Elordi, known from recent dramas, drew crowds. The studio spent $80 million to make the film, setting a high bar for success.

Tracking before the release pointed to an opening between $40 million and $50 million in North America. The actual numbers came in a bit lower but still strong for February, a month that usually sees quieter box office results. The global total includes $45 million from international markets, where the story's themes seem to connect with audiences.

Key Details

Wuthering Heights opened to $35 million over the three-day weekend from Friday to Sunday, then added more on Monday for the $38 million four-day total. That puts it ahead of other new releases and drops it into the 27th best February opening ever. International earnings reached $45 million, for a worldwide haul of $83 million, just above early Sunday estimates of $82 million.

Other Top Films

The animated film GOAT from Sony came in second with $26 million over the weekend, its best opening for an original animation since Elemental in 2023. Made for less than many big animations, it has already earned $15.6 million overseas. Send Help, a Kevin James rom-com, held strong in fourth place with $8.9 million, down just 10% from last week, reaching $49.6 million after 18 days.

Angel Studios' Solo Mio saw a tiny 2% drop to $6.8 million, pushing its total to $18.6 million. Gore Verbinski's new film had the lowest opening of his career at under $3 million. Horror entries like The Strangers: Chapter 3 rounded out the top 10, with self-distributed films showing steady holds.

"This is the biggest opening for a film directed by a woman this year, and it outpaces most past Brontë adaptations combined." – Industry analyst Peter Chattaway

The top 10 averaged a 3.55 multiple from opening to final run, which could mean around $92 million domestic for GOAT if it follows suit. Wuthering Heights would need a similar hold to break even theatrically.

What This Means

A $38 million debut gives Wuthering Heights a solid shot at profitability, especially with international markets adding up quickly. The $80 million budget means it needs about $160 million to $200 million worldwide to cover costs and marketing, based on standard industry splits. Strong word-of-mouth could help, as early tracking showed mixed critic reviews but audience interest.

February openings often face less competition, letting films like this build over weeks. The holiday boost helped all top films hold better than usual, with drops under 10% for several holdovers. This weekend beat 2022 and 2024 totals, signaling a healthy start to the year despite no Marvel blockbuster.

For Fennell, this marks her first number-one opening. Robbie's fifth-best debut here strengthens her draw, while Elordi's rising profile pays off. Sony's animation push with GOAT shows promise for non-sequels. Studios now watch how these films perform mid-week and into next weekend, when new releases from Lionsgate challenge the chart.

The success highlights demand for literary adaptations with modern edges. Past Wuthering Heights films never hit these numbers, even without inflation. This one already stands as the top-grossing Brontë movie after just one weekend. Audiences seem ready for stories of intense relationships, fitting the Valentine's timing.

Overall market trends point to steady recovery. Top films combined for higher totals than recent years, with animation, rom-coms, and drama all finding rooms. Next week brings more competition, testing these holds. Wuthering Heights enters with momentum, poised to stay near the top if drops stay mild.