Wuthering Heights (Original Motion Picture Score) is the film score to the 2026 film Wuthering Heights directed by Emerald Fennell loosely based on the 1847 novel by Emily Brontë. The score is composed by Anthony Willis and released through Milan Records on February 27, 2026, two weeks after the film's theatrical release.
Development Anthony Willis composed the film score renewing his association with Fennell after Promising Young Woman (2020) and Saltburn (2023). Willis added that Emerald wanted to capture the sense of innocence in children through the story, while the way he had scored associated with a Gothic tone albeit Fennell looked something more restrained and yearning. Willis crafted a simplistic score which in turn "getting under people's skin" like an English folk hymn representing Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff's bond since childhood being prevalent throughout the film.
Willis added that even though he had reduced the chords of the cues, the score still retained its personality calling it an "honest" score. Though Willis tried to reduce a cue, he felt that the more minimal the music becomes, the more difficult to envelop the narrative and a little body of the score can lead out introducing a new narrative that can stick out from the film. Hence, the music becomes a counterintuitive where the noticeability of the score increases when the music becomes too reductive. The use of orchestra added more colors to provide a seamless transition to the score.
Reception Justin Chang of The New Yorker called it "a lush orchestral cushion of a score, by Anthony Willis". Tim Grierson of Screen International wrote "Anthony Willis’ demonstrative string-laden score amplif[ies] the plot's cruel betrayals and the characters’ feverish hormones." David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter wrote "Anthony Willis' score [...] effectively pumps up the romance and the tragedy." Peter Debruge of Variety wrote that the film "finds its musical equivalent in Anthony Willis' score". Katherine McLaughlin of The List called it a "lingering score". Nick Schager of The Daily Beast with Willis' score, "the film doesn’t leave a moment wanting for overbearing sonic accompaniment".
Amy Nicholson of Los Angeles Times noted that the music provides equal tension with Willis' score "entwining raspy strings with grimy, ominous shudders." Therese Lacson of Collider wrote "Anthony Willis' sweeping score accents the wild moors perfectly". Rafer Guzmán of Newsday called it a "mournful score". Mick LaSalle of San Francisco Chronicle wrote "Both actors have to compete with Anthony Willis’ overwrought soundtrack, which keeps insisting we’re feeling emotions that we aren't." John Lui of The Straits Times wrote "The synth-heavy score of English composer Anthony Willis [...] underline Fennell’s modern take on obsessive love."
Track listing
Personnel credits Credits adapted from Film Music Reporter:
Music composer: Anthony Willis Music production and arrangement: Finn Keane Additional music production: Isabella Summers Additional score production: Erik Groysman, Peter Gregson Music editor: Peter Clarke Additional music editor: Janet Grab Music supervisor: Nicolette Di Dia Music clearance: Jill Meyers, Drew Bayers Performer: London Contemporary Orchestra Conductor: Hugh Tieppo-Brunt Additional conductor: Andrew Skeet Lead orchestrator: Brett Bailey Additional orchestrators: Hugh Tieppo-Brunt, Ananda Chatterjee, Talia Morey, Stephen Coleman Copyist: Giles Thornton Orchestra manager: Amy-Elisabeth Hinds Deputy orchestra manager: Anastasia Kudryashova Recording projects manager: Amy Dodero Orchestra leader: Eloisa-Fleur Thom, Mandhira de Saram Recording and mixing: Nick Wollage (AIR Studios) Score recordist, score editor and mixing assistant: Ashley Andrew-Jones Score technical assistants: Hunouk Park, Ishaan Tyagi Assistant engineers: Rebecca Hordern, Ronan Murphy Head of studios: Charlotte Matthews Studio contractor: Katy Jackson
Instruments Violin: Eloisa-Fleur Thom, Mandhira de Saram, Úna Palliser Viola: Zoë Matthews, Clifton Harrison Cello: Brian O’Kane, Ian Burdge, Max Ruisi Double bass: Dave Brown Piano: Gavin Greenaway Dulcimer: Elsa Bradley Guitar, banjo and ukulele: Justin Quinn Flute: Pasha Mansurov, Chloe Vincent, Abigail Burrows, Jack Reddick Alto flute: Abigail Burrows, Jack Reddick Harp: Vicky Lester, Valeria Kurbatova, Anneke Hodnett Percussion: Craig Apps Vocal: Sumudu Jayatilaka
Charts + Chart performance for Wuthering Heights (Original Motion Picture Score) Chart (2026) Peakposition UK Classical Albums (OCC) 6
References