The Alicia Vikander-led Tomb Raider sequel is not going forward, as it has just been confirmed that MGM no longer has the rights to the franchise.
Deadline confirmed the news and reported that Vikander is no longer attached to the planned sequel. GK Films is currently shopping the series around while looking for a new lead to play action hero Lara Croft.
Tomb Raider as a franchise has produced three movies based on the popular video game series. Two with Angelina Jolie in the starring role, and one with Vikander that was based on the “gritty reboot” of the video game series. I personally have a lot of nostalgia for the first Jolie film and think it stands on its own, the sequel was bad, and while the reboot had decent reviews, I found it boring.
As a video game series, Tomb Raider has some great highs as it was on the forefront of developments in technology. At the same time, it was also tormented by repetitive stories and play as the series progressed. I think that there is plenty of room for the adventure series in a movie or TV adaptation. If Indiana Jones can do it, so can this. I think the series has just struggled to understand how to balance out the tone and how to engage fans of the game.
My hope is that the series will find a way to balance out having an adult gritty action style with a fun engaging lead. Lara’s personality from Jolie with the intensity of Vikander would be unbeatable.
As for shopping around for a new Lara, I’m going to have to root for my girl Gemma Arterton (The King’s Man, Lost in Austen). She’s gorgeous, can do action scenes, and has the ability to be serious and funny at the same time. My other top picks would be Ella Balinska is we were going younger, or Rachel Weisz if we want to do an older Croft. Basically, give me charm and badass energy all in one.
(via Deadline, image: Warner Bros. Pictures)
