Baz Luhrmann Plans Jazz Age ‘Wuthering Heights’ Soundtrack

Australian filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, celebrated for works such as Moulin Rouge!, Romeo + Juliet, and the 2022 Elvis biopic, has revealed his intention to create a “Jazz Age” reinterpretation of Charli XCX’s Wuthering Heights soundtrack. The announcement came during an interview with Wallpaper, in which Luhrmann also discussed a new bespoke carriage he is designing for Belmond’s British Pullman train.

Luhrmann, collaborating with his wife and creative partner Catherine Martin, explained that the inspiration stems from his fascination with “slow travel.”

“Trains in particular have a way of putting you in a dream-like state where you forget about the realities around you in the world,” Luhrmann said.

The carriage, named Celia, is a restoration of an original 1932 Pullman coach and will accommodate 12 guests. Its design draws on theatrical concepts from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, incorporating lavish floral and faunal motifs alongside a cocktail bar, lounge, and entertainment space. The overall aesthetic pays homage to the opulence and extravagance seen in Luhrmann’s films, reminiscent of the roaring glamour in The Great Gatsby.

When asked about music for the carriage, Luhrmann proposed a project similar to his 2013 approach in The Great Gatsby, where he enlisted Bryan Ferry and his jazz orchestra to reimagine contemporary pop tracks.

“I’d take the soundtrack to Wuthering Heights and do a Jazz Age version of it,” Luhrmann explained, referring to Charli XCX’s 2026 soundtrack for the film starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. “You’d have to ask Charli if that was OK, but I think it’d be cool.”

Luhrmann envisions the experience offering guests a respite from the modern world:

“In a world that is so bereft of civility, kindness, warmth, magic, love and beauty, I hope [visitors] leave feeling like they have got a little bit of that—alongside amazing food, a lot of laughs and a few cups of whatever it is that they drink. I want them to stumble back out in London and feel like they haven’t been away for a day, but for a month.”

The carriage is scheduled to launch in summer 2026, with further details forthcoming.

Charli XCX’s Wuthering Heights soundtrack received a four-star review from NME, described as “delicious gothic pop,” and was noted for providing a reflective, winter-appropriate listening experience. Alongside this, Charli is contributing music for the A24 film Mother Mary, appearing in films Erupcja and 100 Nights Of Hero, and has been cast in a horror project with Milly Alcock.

Luhrmann is also developing a stage musical on Elvis Presley and a forthcoming film, Jehanne d’Arc, due in cinemas in 2027.