The two big problems with the Wuthering Heights cast announcement.

The Emerald Fennell adaption of Emily Brontë's novel Wuthering Heights finally has its two leading stars.

And despite this being one of the great classics of English literature, they've cast two iconic Australians.

According to a Deadline report, Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi will play Wuthering Heights' doomed lovers, Catherine and Heathcliff.

The book follows two families, the Earnshaws and the Lintons, and the rocky relationship that unfolds with the Earnshaws' foster son, Heathcliff.

Robbie's production company LuckyChap will produce Fennell's latest film adaptation which will be its third collaboration with the prolific director after Saltburn (starring Elordi) and Promising Young Woman. 

So far, any further details about what exactly the film adaption will look like have been kept on the down-low.

After the cast news was dropped, fans of the novel were surprised that two Aussies snagged the much-adored roles of gothic literary icons, Catherine and Heathcliff.

two australians… naurthering heights https://t.co/bu1QkqYoSu

— Sam Herbst (@smhrbst) September 23, 2024

But given the book's dark storyline and the expectations around the characters, not everyone is thrilled with the casting of a couple of sun-kissed Aussies in these roles.

white Heathcliff and 34-year-old Cathy, and they both look like they belong on instagram.... im obsessed. emerald fennell does it again [derogatory]. https://t.co/smWhGdOH1W

— Gavia Baker-Whitelaw (@Hello_Tailor) September 23, 2024

For one thing, some have raised an issue with Jacob Elordi's build. Apparently, he is simply too tall to convincingly portray Heathcliff.

One person even posted on X that at 6'5, men simply didn't exist like this when the book was first published in 1850.

stop casting tall people in period pieces. the average man in the 1800s was like 5’6 his ass would be in a zoo https://t.co/C13dCh8Uxs

— meg (@BETTYDR4PER) September 23, 2024

Most of the criticism has revolved around the ethnicity of Heathcliff: he's meant to be a man of colour. In Wuthering Heights, he's described as "dark-skinned" and he's of Romani origin.

Obviously, Elordi is a born and bred Australian, although his father immigrated from the Basque Country, a region between France and Spain.

heathcliff is described as a dark-skinned brown man in the book and a major plot point is that he was subjected to racist abuse by his adopted family. but yeah sure jacob elordi is perfect! https://t.co/VqRvlOCvMP

— ⊹˚. ren (@andorlorians) September 23, 2024

Then there's the issue of Robbie's age.

At 34 years old, fans of the novel have been left confused that she will play Catherine, a character just on the precipice of adulthood at the start of the novel at 18 years old.

34 year old margot robbie cast as 18 year old cathy pic.twitter.com/O9ElF8iRdY

— tana (@_tugofwar) September 23, 2024

Sure, Robbie proved as the immortal Barbie that she's seemingly ageless but even this could be a stretch.

Overall, people are just not convinced that Elordi and Robbie have the right ~ vibe ~ to pull off these complicated and troubled young characters.

no hate to margot robbie and jacob elordi but neither of them have enough Psychologically Tortured vibes to play cathy and heathcliff. like a wuthering heights adaptation simply needs actors who are weirder

— 🔪 (@timewrinkles) September 23, 2024

In the 2011 film adaption of Wuthering Heights by Andrea Arnold, the leads were played by young rising British stars: Skins actor Kaya Scodelario as Catherine and the first Black actor to play Heathcliff, James Howson.

For some fans, this casting choice stayed loyal to the source material.

A popular post on X suggested an alternative cast with 26-year-old Elle Fanning playing opposite 34-year-old Dev Patel.

it is not too late to yeet margot and jacob out of wuthering heights and cast #REAL talent as cathy and heathcliff! pic.twitter.com/9jYaETMNl4

— n (@ceokimjisoos) September 23, 2024

The cast does have some defenders. Well, sort of.

while i feel that both jacob elordi and margot robbie have severe cases of iphone face i will be seated for wuthering heights regardless because to me being hot is the most important thing an actor can be

— trish (@ULTRAGLOSS) September 23, 2024

Filming is set to begin in 2025 so we will have to wait to see how this adaption unfolds.

If anyone can pull this off, it's Emerald Fennell and the powerhouse behind Barbie.

Feature image: Getty.