In the early 2026 box office race, it seems like Wuthering Heights already has the upper hand! While Crime 101 earned strong critical praise and is dubbed one of the best movies to be coming out this year, it can’t match the commercial scale of Margot Robbie’s modern-day film adaptation.
#Crime101 is the first GREAT film of 2026. @AmazonMGMStudio was smart by releasing this into theaters and not to streaming. STACKED cast. The film is suspenseful throughout with a VERY satisfying ending. You NEED to see @Crime101Movie on February 13— JoBlo.com (@joblocom) February 3, 2026
The contrast between the two films is striking, and not just in genre and tone, but also in how the market is responding to them. So, why exactly is that the case? Let’s look at the figures, followed by why Wuthering Heights might be outperforming its competitors.
A Look at Wuthering Heights’ Opening Weekend Projections
According to industry projections, Wuthering Heights is set to open with worldwide gross earnings of between $70 million and $80 million! Which means it’s about to have the year’s strongest global debut, and of the total, $40-50 million comes from domestic markets, while $30 million is expected from overseas theaters (via Deadline).
The film will open on 18,000 screens worldwide, and this rollout reflects Warner Bros.’ confidence in the project. Premium formats might further boost the sales, and tracking data shows that women over 25, followed by those under 25, are the two demographics most interested in Wuthering Heights.
In contrast, Crime 101 is projected to open at around $15 million domestically, and GOAT, an animated film, will land anywhere around $20 million. So, the gap isn’t small at all, and Wuthering Heights is clearly the centerpiece of the coming weekend’s releases.
How Did Wuthering Heights Become the Clear Front-Runner
A still from Wuthering Heights | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
Several factors contribute to the growing demand for Wuthering Heights. First, let’s look at the leading pair. Margot Robbie delivered Barbie, a billion-dollar blockbuster, and has smartly positioned herself as someone who understands and supports cinema that caters to women.
Then we have Jacob Elordi, who was recently praised to no end for playing Frankenstein’s creature, even receiving an Oscar nomination for the same. The film’s promotions generated a lot of buzz, most of it through controversies.
The criticism ranged from the movie not being accurate, being too sensual, Elordi and Robbie being too close, etc. But ultimately, it’s all worked in the movie’s favor! And let’s not ignore that out of all the main releases, only Wuthering Heights is a romantic film during Valentine’s week, and that automatically boosts its demand even more!
So, what are your thoughts on Wuthering Heights beating Crime 101 at the box office?
Wuthering Heights and Crime 101 will release in theaters on February 13, 2026 (USA).
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
