Prime Video’s Tomb Raider gets a candid update from a former executive. Led by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, known for Fleabag and Killing Eve, the Tomb Raider series reportedly started development in 2019. The series was supposed to be based on the hit game that was initially released in the mid-90s, which features the character Lara Croft. The franchise has been adapted into a total of three movies, with past portrayals by Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander, and a Netflix animated series.
Speaking to Puck, former Amazon MGM executive Jen Salke provided a brutal update, saying that Waller-Bridge produced nothing for the Tomb Raider series for three years. Salke decided to renew the deal for another three years, during which nothing was still produced. Salke personally oversaw the project after announcing a series pickup last May. Read the full summary of the deal and its lack of progress below:
Still, my favorite Salke move was giving Phoebe Waller-Bridge, the breakout creator of Fleabag, a $20 million-a-year overall deal in 2019. Sure, the TV business is littered with failed overalls, but when Waller-Bridge generated nothing in three years, Salke renewed the deal. Now, three years after that renewal, she still has nothing to show for it. Tomb Raider, which Waller-Bridge has been working on and which Salke was personally overseeing after announcing a series pickup last May, has now gone through two writers rooms and tens of millions of dollars in development costs. There’s still no script.
What This Means For Amazon’s Tomb Raider
Phoebe Waller-Bridge Might Unfortunately Be Replaced
Known for her breakout series Fleabag and then writing the BBC show Killing Eve, Waller-Bridge clearly has the talent to make a solid Tomb Raider series. Her involvement comes when the franchise needs to rework its quality, given past iterations with Jolie and Vikander. While Jolie’s era earned two movies, critics panned them for their nonsensical plots and lack of impactful action scenes. Vikander’s sole movie was a stark improvement, with the best-reviewed installment, but even the Rotten Tomatoes score is at 52%.
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It’s possible that the pressure to improve the franchise could explain Waller-Bridge taking her time. However, the lack of script in the last six years is baffling, given that this past November Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner was cast as the leading heroine. It’s quite possible that Waller-Bridge had obligations that took some time, such as her appearance in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which should have occupied her between mid-2021 and early 2022. This new update from Salke, however, does hint at a change that may involve Waller-Bridge being replaced.
Our Take On This Update For Amazon’s Tomb Raider
Waller-Bridge Is A Talented Filmmaker, But The Series Needs To Move Forward
The Tomb Raider franchise needs to move forward, but whether this means that Waller-Bridge shows the results of her creative process with execs or should be replaced by someone else is unclear. I’d prefer the former, as the prospect of getting a Tomb Raider series from such a filmmaker is exciting. However, I can understand the impatience. It’s overall befuddling as a report from last October saw Salke saying that Waller-Bridge was “well into it“ when providing an update on the series.
This new update blatantly contradicts that, so I’m ultimately not sure what to think about how much Waller-Bridge has produced for the series. Finding a new series creative with Waller-Bridges’ skill could be comforting, but seeing the bridge between her and Amazon being repaired rather than burned is preferred. I don’t see the series being dropped completely, which is something fans of the franchise probably don’t want, but Amazon’s Tomb Raider does need to move forward with or without Waller-Bridge.
Source: Puck
Tomb Raider
The Tomb Raider franchise is an iconic series of action-adventure games, films, and media centered around the character Lara Croft, a British archaeologist known for her exploration of ancient tombs and perilous environments. The franchise began with the original video game in 1996 and quickly became a cultural phenomenon, with Lara Croft becoming one of the most recognizable and influential characters in gaming history. Over the years, Tomb Raider has expanded into multiple video game series, films, comic books, and even theme park attractions, maintaining its relevance through various reboots and adaptations.
- Created by
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Toby Gard
- First TV Show
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Revisioned: Tomb Raider
- First Episode Air Date
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June 10, 2007
- Spin-offs
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Revisioned: Tomb Raider
- Character(s)
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Lara Croft, Richard Croft, Jacqueline Natla, Amanda Evert, Ana, Lu Ren, Terry Sheridan, Manfred Powell, Mathias Vogel, Siva
Summary
The Tomb Raider franchise is an iconic series of action-adventure games, films, and media centered around the character Lara Croft, a British archaeologist known for her exploration of ancient tombs and perilous environments. The franchise began with the original video game in 1996 and quickly became a cultural phenomenon, with Lara Croft becoming one of the most recognizable and influential characters in gaming history. Over the years, Tomb Raider has expanded into multiple video game series, films, comic books, and even theme park attractions, maintaining its relevance through various reboots and adaptations.