5 “Wuthering Heights” Production Design Secrets
- Olive Pritchard
- Feb 10
- 4 min read
A new adaptation of Emily Brontë’s classic novel "Wuthering Heights" is sweeping into cinemas this Valentine's Day, promising a dark reimagining of the classic tale. Whether you’re a devoted Brontë fan or a newcomer drawn in by gothic romance, this latest take delivers a brooding story of love, obsession, and the wild Yorkshire moors. Explore these 5 “Wuthering Heights” production design secrets to discover how the filmmakers brought this haunting world to life.
PD Secret 1: A focus on emotional accuracy rather than historical accuracy
Set designer Suzie Davies set out to create a set that audiences could feel rather than just observe. This at times meant staying away from the historically accurate 18th-century setting depicted in Brontë’s novel, and instead opting for more eerily intimate designs. A particularly notable example of this: the ‘skin’ walls in Catherine’s bedroom at Thrushcross Grange. Davies printed actual images of Margot Robbie’s skin onto fabric and then covered it with latex, creating an unsettling yet personal set to accompany the tale.
PD Secret 2: Leaning into a wet-look aesthetic
Across both the sets and the costuming, the design leans into a wet-look aesthetic to capture the charged intimacy at the heart of the story. This meant transforming Thrushcross Grange with a sheeny glow, lining the walls with sweat-like droplets and installing lacquered, blood-like floors. From the physical sets to Catherine’s glossy crimson gown, the designers created cohesive visuals that align with the visceral + emotional storyline.
PD Secret 3: The contrasting colors of Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange
via Architectural Digest, Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
Both Davies and director Emerald Fennel approached the two estates with a clear visual divide in mind. Wuthering Heights, defined by dim lighting and a harsh color palette, was designed to be oppressive + brooding. Thrushcross Grange, in opposition, was created as a vivid counterpoint. It relies on brighter colors, more expansive sets, and a greater use of light to embody the idea of freedom and escape it offers from the unforgiving Wuthering Heights.
PD Secret 4: The use of hands throughout the set
Hands are a recurring symbol throughout the set design, drawing on the gothic atmosphere and the sensuality of the story. Rather than relying on the supernatural elements of the tale, Davies wanted to focus more on Catherine’s earthly body while still capturing a sense of unease. From candle holders to replacing traditional ceiling roses, hands appear everywhere, created from plaster molds of the film crew’s own hands. Davies noted that as well as hinting at the characters desires to possess and touch everything surrounding them, they also subtly reinforce the charged physicality defining Catherine and Heathcliff’s relationship.
PD Secret 5: Thrushcross Grange’s subtle references to imprisonment
While Thrushcross Grange at first appears to be an escape from Wuthering Heights, Catherine soon finds herself longing for Heathcliff and unable to escape the life she has built for herself in Thrushcross. This entrapment is subtly reflected in the set decor: a lamb sits encased in glass in the library and goldfish are trapped in glass vases in the garden. Most notably, the dining room features a dollhouse - a miniature recreation of Thrushcross Grange that mimics Catherine’s longing for freedom.
Why is production design so important?
A production designer is head of the art department. On board from the beginning, they work with the director + producers to help bring the writer’s script, director’s vision + producer’s plans together as a visual whole. The production designer researches or "scouts" locations, eventually securing + preparing it for shooting. They budget the cost of materials, track expenses, and typically oversee the art director, set designers, illustrators + scenic painters to develop a specific visual style for a production. From minute details to overarching themes, a production designer must consider every aspect shown on screen, regardless of budget, they must be resourceful and think on their feet.
These production design choices transform “Wuthering Heights” from the tale we knew into a much deeper, charged story. In focusing on feeling over historical accuracy, Suzie Davies and Emerald Fennell build a world where every symbol + space mirror the intensity and passion behind Catherine and Heathcliff’s relationship. The result - a haunting, fresh reimagining of Brontë’s classic novel that has love and obsession tied into its physical spaces. We at team OC cannot wait to see this story brought to life on February 13th.
Written by Olive Pritchard -- Olive is a Marketing Coordinator at Onni Creative. She is passionate about understanding the industry, experiential marketing, and the intersection of culture and storytelling. As well as being a frequent customer at her local movie theatre, Olive loves to spend her free time travelling with friends and reading.
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