Tomb Raider has had several TV and movie adaptations in the past — while some are faithful adaptations that demand attention, others are not worthy additions to the overarching franchise. The Tomb Raider franchise has been around for over two decades, and, even though it is best known for action-adventure video games, it has successfully expanded into other storytelling mediums. From film adaptations to comic books, from animated TV shows to novels, the Tomb Raider lore is spread across many different platforms.
Even though not all extensions of the franchise have performed equally well, they have together contributed to evolving the rich tapestry of Lara Croft’s universe. Even to this day, the Tomb Raider franchise continues to grow in myriad mediums, paving the way for other Tomb Raider movies, television shows, and even games to emerge in the near future. However, before new TV and movie Tomb Raider adaptations can hit the big and small screens, audiences already have several existing ones to choose from.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)
Directed By Simon West
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
- Release Date
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June 15, 2001
- Runtime
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100 Minutes
- Director
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Simon West
- Writers
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Sara B. Cooper, Mike Werb, Michael Colleary, Simon West, Patrick Massett, John Zinman
Starring Angelina Jolie as the titular character, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider primarily received negative reviews from viewers and critics. The movie still holds an underwhelming Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of 20% and an audience rating of 47%. However, despite being panned by critics, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider performed fairly well at the box office. Against a budget of $115 million, it grossed $274.7 million worldwide, ranking it among the highest grossing video game adaptations of all time.
…despite its commercial success, it is hard not to see Lara Croft: Tomb Raider as one of the most disappointing adaptations of the games because it offers nothing more than a few memorable action sequences and set pieces.
Owing to its box office success, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider deserves some credit for introducing a compelling female lead to the action-adventure genre. Angelina Jolie, too, did an incredible job of capturing the badass character’s charisma and physicality, allowing both new audiences and the ones familiar with the games to embrace the franchise. However, despite its commercial success, it is hard not to see Lara Croft: Tomb Raider as one of the most disappointing adaptations of the games because it offers nothing more than a few memorable action sequences and set pieces.
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life (2003)
Directed By Jan de Bont
Serving as a direct sequel to 2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life marked Angelina Jolie’s return as the badass character. Surprisingly, the film had a far better critical reception than its predecessor because even though it failed to have a coherent narrative, it upped the ante with its action sequences. In the sequel, Angelina Jolie’s performance, too, convinces the viewer that she embodies the character from the games with the required intensity and depth.
Jon Vough, who is Angelina Jolie’s real father, plays Lara Croft’s father in the movie series.
Unfortunately, despite being more entertaining than its predecessor, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life failed to become anything more than a typical popcorn action flick. This might explain why even its box office numbers were way lower than expected, grossing close to $160 million against a budget of $95 million. Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life‘s disappointing box office numbers ultimately ended the movie series for good, encouraging Jolie to abandon a planned sequel.
Tomb Raider (2018)
Directed By Roar Uthaug
Tomb Raider
5/10
- Release Date
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March 16, 2018
- Runtime
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118 minutes
- Director
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Roar Uthaug
- Writers
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Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Alastair Siddons, Evan Daugherty
Directed by Roar Uthaug, 2018’s Tomb Raider live-action reboot proved to be better than the original Angelina Jolie movies because of its ability to stay incredibly loyal to the games. Unlike its predecessors, the reboot was also a breath of fresh air because it focused less on objectifying Lara Croft and portrayed her as a multidimensional character with relatable motivations and vulnerabilities. Academy Award-winning actress, Alicia Vikander, also perfectly embodied Lara Croft by striking the perfect balance between sensitivity and strength.
However, despite marking the inception of a promising reboot series, 2018’s Tomb Raider received mixed reviews. While its mixed reception was far better than its predecessors’ largely negative critiques, many complained that it fell short of reaching its true potential. Even at the box office, Tomb Raider grossed $274 million worldwide, preventing it from missing its break even by a narrow margin. The movie’s sequel was initially rumored to be in the works but never saw the light of day.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft (2024)
Directed By Julie Olson
Although Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft only scratches the surface of Lara’s extensive lore despite having an eight-episode runtime, it sets a strong foundation for the series’ future seasons. By going back and forth between Lara Croft’s past and present, the show effectively develops the character and allows viewers to get a good understanding of her motivations and struggles. At the same, unlike most screen adaptations of the games, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft also gives enough screen time to side characters like Kip, Camilla, and Jonah.
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Tomb Raider: The Legend Of Lara Croft Voice Cast & Character Guide
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft has more than a few iconic and beloved characters, and the animated show has cast them perfectly.
When it comes to storytelling, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is not groundbreaking in any way as it borrows many familiar narrative elements from the games and previous screen adaptations. However, what allows it to etch its own identity in the overarching franchise is its emphasis on bringing new emotional depth to Lara Croft’s backstory. Not to mention, it also seems more imaginative and expansive with its exploration of mythological fantasy.
The Future Of The Tomb Radier Franchise
2024’s Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft was, all things considered, a successful attempt to bring Lara Croft to screens without a controller. However, the live-action Tomb Raider movies haven’t been anywhere nearly as well received, with the big-screen incarnation of the hit video-game franchise finding nowhere near the levels of success studios had hoped for. From the canceled sequel to 2018’s Tomb Raider through to the abandoned threequel to Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider, Lara Croft’s live-action adventures have inarugably failed to live up to the potential of the source material. However, that doesn’t mean Hollywood has given up on trying to turn Tomb Raider into a successful cinematic series.
Lara Croft is already set for her next live-action adventure, only this time it will be in the form of a TV series. Amazon is working with Fleabag and Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny star Phoebe Waller-Bridge on a Tomb Raider TV show, with several details already having emerged. Waller-Bridge won’t be playing Lara Croft, but will be writing and producing. The Tomb Raider TV show was announced back in 2023, and the long development time is a positive sign, since it means Amazon isn’t rushing adapting source material with the potential to be one of their most successful exclusives so far (especially after the hit the Fallout adaptation came to be).
As for the cast, Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner is reportedly in talks to play the latest live-action Lara Croft after Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander. Few details are known when it comes to the plot, but Amazon and Waller-Bridge both have hinted at a global adventure in many interviews, which would mean the latest live-action Lara Croft visiting as many locations as her pixellated inspiration from the Tomb Raider games – though, at time of writing, the Amazon series doesn’t have a release date.