Summary
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croftstarts off immediately following the events of the highly successful video game Survivor series. Lara Croft (voiced by Hayley Atwell) has abandoned her friends to embark on perilous solo adventures, but she is forced to return home when a dangerous and powerful Chinese artifact is stolen from Croft Manor. To track down this thief, she must venture around the world and to the depths of forgotten tombs, where she will be forced to confront her true self.
TheTomb Raiderfranchise’s popularity has exploded from video games into a series of blockbuster films. Lara Croft has been a contemporary global icon for over two decades and was even listed as one of TIME Magazine’s 15 Most Influential Video Game Characters of All Time. This new animated series is executive produced and written by Tasha Huo andstarts streaming on Netflix on October 10th, 2024.
When The Legend Of Lara Croft Takes Place In The Tomb Raider Timeline
Netflix’s animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft stars Hayley Atwell as the same version of Lara Croft from the Survivor trilogy.
Screen Rantspoke with showrunner Tasha Huo about the new Netflix animated series. She explains that she is a big fan ofTomb Raiderherself, so working on this series has been a dream come true. Tasha also details what about Hayley Atwell makes her the perfect person to voice Lara Croft. While she could not reveal much, she also comments on what fans ofRed Sonjacan expect in the upcoming film.
Tasha Huo Is A Tomb Raider Fan, So Making A New Show “Was A Dream Come True”
Screen Rant: What was it like for you getting to explore and play in such an iconic franchise?
Tasha Huo: It was a dream come true. Literally, I’ve been a fan of these games since I was a little kid. So it’s been, is, incredible. It’s like you’re living your fantasies in every episode. It’s great.
Screen Rant: What was it like trying to find that balance of bringing something new to Lara, but keeping the heart of what fans like you love?
Tasha Huo: It was definitely a balance. But I do feel like in playing the games, you miss a whole section of Lara’s life, which is, what is it like beyond the tombs? What are her relationships like? I was always so curious when Lara could call up a friend in the middle of nowhere in Thailand. How did she meet that person? The show gets to explore how she made these relationships and the origin story of a lot of her life that we just take for granted when we meet her in those 90s games.
Hayley Atwell Is “The Perfect Encapsulation of Lara”
Screen Rant: What do you think it is about Hayley that makes her such a great Lara Croft? Because she is so good in the series.
Tasha Huo: I’m so glad to say that, because I think she is Lara in her real, waking life. It’s funny, because she was filming for Mission Impossible at the same time she was recording for us, and so it was a lot of, “Oh, I did that stunt last week, so I know exactly what that sounds like.” She, herself, is a natural adventurer, while also being just an incredible dramatic actress. So she is the perfect encapsulation of Lara during this sort of bridge period of time.
Finding The Perfect Villain To Go Up Against Lara Croft In Tomb Raider
“I really wanted to see Lara move past that darkness.”
Screen Rant: Can you talk about deciding on the perfect villain for the series?
Tasha Huo: Yeah, absolutely. I knew I wanted Lara, who, coming from the Survivor Series, has just been dealing with a lot. A lot that can take someone to a really dark place. The idea of Lara going to therapy was so cool to me, and hating it, which is obviously how she would behave. I really wanted to see Lara move past that darkness that we saw in the Survivor Series. And I think to do that, she needed to be up against someone who was dealing with a similar kind of darkness, and to see that reflected back on her, and force her to choose, do I want to take that path or not? And so for me, it was important to find a really good foil for her in that way. So hopefully we did.
Of Course Lara’s Dresses Would Have Pockets!
“She’s going to have a dress that is bespoke in her way.”
Screen Rant: One of my favorite lines, which I thought was so relatable, was when someone mentions that they love Lara’s dress, and she replies that it has pockets. Can you talk about how that came about?
Tasha Huo: Well, because I’m the same way. Every woman we have ever met is like, “Why does this beautiful dress not have pockets?” Lara is Lara Croft, emphasis on the Croft part. So she’s going to have a dress that is bespoke in her way, and she’s going to make sure that there is pockets in it.
Tasha Huo’s Message To Tomb Raider Fans: “I Am One Of You”
Screen Rant: A lot of fans, myself included, whenever something that you love so much gets a new adaptation, you kind of go in cautiously optimistic. So what would you say to fans of Tomb Raider about this series?
Tasha Huo: I would say that I am one of you. I am a huge fan as well. And everyone who worked on this, who animated it, designed it, they all played these games when they were little girls and boys as well. So we’re all coming from it from a place of we don’t want to disappoint ourselves, and hopefully we don’t disappoint you as well. Because if this is a show that succeeds at not disappointing us, then I think we’ve done a good job.
Red Sonja Fans Will Be Surprised By Her New Film
Screen Rant: Speaking of adaptations, Red Sonja is coming. Anything you can tease?
Tasha Huo: Nothing I can tease. It should be really cool, though. It’s a really cool origin story of hers, and if you’re a fan of it, you will be surprised.
About Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft
The animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft picks up after the events of the highly successful Tomb Raider video game Survivor trilogy (Tomb Raider; Rise of the Tomb Raider; Shadow of the Tomb Raider), and will chart the globetrotting heroine’s next chapter as the iconic adventurer. More than 25 years after her first appearance, Lara Croft (voiced by Hayley Atwell) continues to explore ancient mysteries and uncover lost truths across breathtaking and dangerous destinations.
Following the events of the Survivor series, Lara Croft has abandoned her friends to embark on increasingly more perilous solo adventures. But she must return home when a dangerous and powerful Chinese artifact is stolen from Croft Manor by a thief with an uncanny personal connection. Her daring pursuit will take her on an adventure around the world and to the depths of forgotten tombs, where she will be forced to confront her true self, and decide just what kind of hero she wants to become.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croftstreams exclusively on Netflix on October 10.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft
Cast
This animated series follows the iconic tomb-raider Lara Croft as she embarks on thrilling adventures, exploring ancient civilizations and uncovering hidden secrets. Balancing intellect and physical prowess, Lara navigates treacherous environments and encounters formidable adversaries, all while striving to protect the world’s archaeological treasures.
