Amazon’s highly anticipatedTomb RaiderTV series is bringing the beloved video game franchise to the small screen. Originally released in 1996 for the Sega Saturn and PlayStation, the series follows the daring archaeologist Lara Croft as she embarks on perilous quests to discover lost artifacts. With numerous sequels and a dedicated fanbase, Lara Croft has long cemented her status as a gaming icon. The recentcast announcement for Amazon’sTomb Raidermakes the upcoming show all the more exciting.
However, to be successful, theTomb Raidershow needs to distance itself from the underwhelming, too-serious adaptation of the reboot video game.Instead, the involvement of Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who was “obsessed with and grew up playing Lara Croft/Tomb Raider” (viaThe Guardian) can bring the full potential of the legacy character to life.Waller-Bridge and Turner could save theTomb Raiderfranchise, if the creative pairing strikes the perfect balance between drama, character study, action, and humor, promising an incredibly stylish series.
Amazon’s Tomb Raider Should Not Be An Origin Story After The 2018 Movie
Waller-Bridge Needs To Take A Different Direction With Lara Croft
Audiences arguably have origin story fatigue, with so many prequels adding detail and motivations to existing IP characters. A common viewer complaint is that IP movies and origin stories are too risk-averse. Furthermore, 2018’sTomb Raiderhas already jumped on this bandwagon, but it did not have the desired effect of adding more depth and dimension to Lara – quite the opposite. The game did a decent job of developing her personality while still retaining the essence of her beloved characteristics; however, this was not achieved in the adaptation.
Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner’s triumphant return to screens in ITV’s Joan showcased her acting range, particularly her sharp and sleek side, which would translate well to Lara’s character.
Amazon’sTomb Raidercan overcome that by giving audiences a generous dose of Lara Croft’s wit while jumping straight into the spectacle of the action.Game of Thronesstar Sophie Turner’s triumphant return to screens in ITV’sJoanshowcased her acting range, particularly her sharp and sleek side, which would translate well to Lara’s character. Instead of trying too hard to make Lara a character with a troubled past,this reboot could still humanize Lara while making a thrilling action-adventure, particularly after the success of the Netflix animationTomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft.
Sophie Turner’s Lara Croft Shouldn’t Be Entirely Based On The Modern Games Either
The Original Tomb Raider Games Have So Much To Offer For The Adaptation
The 2018 film based on theTomb Raiderreboot game doesn’t add much to the franchise. Its underwhelming 52% Rotten Tomatoes score is no fault of Alicia Vikander’s when the writing is uninspired and a flat version of the game experience. In contrast,Netflix’s animated show is the closest thing to playing theTomb Raidergames. The origin story presented in the movie not only fails to do the game justice; it tries to create a version of Lara that is more relatable, underestimating audiences in assuming this is what they wanted.
Sophie Turner’s New Action Show May Fulfill A Missing Sansa Stark Story That Game Of Thrones Season 9 Could Have Fixed
Sophie Turner will be able to show off her action skills if he does join Amazon’s Tomb Raider show, something she could never do on Game of Thrones.
2018’s Lara did not want to be associated with the inherent privilege of the Croft name, except for when she really needed it in a pinch. This portrayal was too far removed from the unapologetically posh, snarky heroine gamers and audiences know and love. There is a reason Angelina Jolie’s portrayal from the early 2000s is still so beloved. Jolie honored something from the original games that had not been used as effectively in years: Lara’s wiliness and smirking, clever sense of humor. Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s involvement is encouraging in this regard, and perhaps audiences will soon have the true spirit ofTomb Raiderback.
Tomb Raider
TheTomb Raiderfranchise 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 Raiderhas expanded into multiple video game series, films, comic books, and even theme park attractions, maintaining its relevance through various reboots and adaptations.
