Wuthering Heights movie and Crime 101 movie collide at the box office as Emerald Fennell, Margot Robbie, and the Barbie movie halo fuel opening-weekend buzz

The biggest movie conversation heading into the February 14, 2026 weekend in Eastern Time is a two-track story: a new Wuthering Heights movie that’s already polarizing audiences, and Crime 101 arriving with mainstream thriller appeal. Both titles hit theaters on Friday, February 13, 2026 ET, and the timing is turning the weekend into a real-time referendum on what sells right now: prestige romance with a sharp edge versus star-driven crime suspense.

For moviegoers, the practical question is simple: what’s worth a ticket this weekend? For the industry, the question is larger: can a classic book adaptation and a mid-budget crime movie both break through in a market that’s still recalibrating after years of audience habit shifts?

Wuthering Heights 2026: the book, the movie, and why it’s sparking argument immediately

Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights leans into provocation and a highly stylized tone, and it’s doing exactly what a modern studio release wants on opening weekend: generating debate that travels beyond film circles. The result is a split reaction that mirrors the central challenge of adapting the Wuthering Heights book in 2026.

The novel’s reputation is enormous, but it’s also structurally complex and morally messy. Any screen version has to choose what to emphasize, what to compress, and what to leave behind. This film’s approach appears to prioritize intensity and immediacy over completeness, which helps a theatrical experience feel urgent but can frustrate viewers who came for a more faithful, full-scope translation of the story.

There’s also a search-behavior angle playing out in real time. People are looking up “wuthering heights,” “wuthering heights book,” and even the misspelling “withering heights,” which is a reliable signal that curiosity is jumping outside the usual core audience. That matters because controversy can be a marketing engine, but only if it converts into actual ticket sales in the second weekend, not just discourse in the first.

Margot Robbie, the Barbie movie afterglow, and what star power does now

Margot Robbie’s presence is doing more than simply anchoring the cast. She’s coming into this release with unusually broad public familiarity, and the lingering cultural footprint of the Barbie movie makes her involvement a built-in attention multiplier. That doesn’t guarantee universal goodwill, but it does mean the film enters the weekend with more awareness than most period romances would normally get.

Behind the headline, the incentives line up like this:

• For the filmmakers: a bold interpretation differentiates the movie from prior adaptations and invites a new audience that might not normally show up for classic literature.

• For theaters: a conversation-driving title helps attendance during a weekend that benefits from date-night choices.

• For audiences: star recognition lowers the risk of trying something that sounds like homework on paper.

The tradeoff is reputational. If the film is seen as straying too far from the Wuthering Heights book, it may face a sharper second-week drop. If it’s seen as a daring reframing, it could gain staying power through word-of-mouth among viewers who want something more extreme than typical awards-season prestige.

Crime 101 movie: why the straightforward pitch might be the secret weapon

Crime 101 arrives with a cleaner commercial proposition: a heist-and-detective setup, recognizable stars, and the promise of momentum. While Wuthering Heights invites argument about adaptation choices, Crime 101 mainly invites a simpler decision: do you want a tense thriller with a familiar rhythm?

That contrast is important. When two wide releases open on the same day, the more “complicated” film can still win if it becomes an event, but the more accessible film can rack up steady attendance from audiences who want fewer homework vibes and more plot propulsion.

Crime movies also tend to travel well through recommendations because the pitch is easy to repeat without spoilers: it’s about the pursuit, the pattern, and the moral lines that blur when everyone believes they’re the protagonist.

What we still don’t know this weekend

Even with the early chatter, several practical pieces remain unclear in the first 24 to 48 hours:

• How front-loaded Wuthering Heights will be after Friday night curiosity gives way to broader audiences on Saturday and Sunday.

• Whether Crime 101 plays as a must-see-in-theater experience or a “catch it later” title.

• How much repeat viewing and group attendance drives either film, especially around Valentine’s weekend plans.

These unknowns matter because opening weekends are increasingly about velocity, not just totals. A strong Saturday can change a narrative; a soft Sunday can lock one in.

What happens next: realistic scenarios and triggers

Here are the most plausible paths from here, tied to observable triggers rather than wishful thinking:

1. Wuthering Heights holds if debate stays focused on performance and craft, not just fidelity to the book. Trigger: social conversation shifts from “they changed it” to “you have to see what they did.”

2. Wuthering Heights drops hard if the mainstream audience reads the controversy as a warning label. Trigger: casual moviegoers describe it as alienating rather than daring.

3. Crime 101 wins the consistency battle if it becomes the default pick for mixed groups. Trigger: people recommending it as an easy crowd-pleaser without caveats.

4. Both films coexist if they segment cleanly by mood. Trigger: audiences treat the weekend as a two-option menu, romance-as-event versus thriller-as-fun.

5. The weekend becomes a star-power case study if Robbie’s draw noticeably lifts Wuthering Heights above what comparable literary adaptations usually deliver. Trigger: strong attendance from viewers who show up primarily for the lead and leave recommending it anyway.

Why it matters beyond this weekend

This isn’t just about two titles opening at once. It’s about what kinds of movies can still convince people that theaters are the best place to watch. If Wuthering Heights proves that a classic book can be remixed into a modern spectacle without collapsing commercially, it encourages more high-risk reinterpretations. If Crime 101 shows strong legs, it reinforces that audiences still reward clear genre entertainment when it’s packaged with credible stars.

Either way, February 13 to February 16, 2026 ET is shaping up as a revealing snapshot: the marketplace is hungry for conversation, but it still cashes tickets for clarity.