Key Takeaways
- Amazon Studios is developing a new Tomb Raider series for Prime Video.
- Fans suggest Hayley Atwell, suggesting she would be a perfect fit for the Lara Croft lead role.
- The show’s success hinges on the perfect casting of Lara Croft for Prime Video.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that Prime Video is working on a new Tomb Raider series that will feature the iconic Lara Croft. However, no official casting has been announced yet, and many fans of the original video games have already taken to social media to suggest that there’s one actor who would be perfect for this new series’ lead role.
If Amazon Studios and Prime Video go forward with this idea, then this series in development could become a huge hit for the streaming platform. Amazon has had a few successes lately, such as the Reacher and Fallout shows. However, they could always use another, and this new Tomb Raider series might be exactly what they’ve been looking for. However, they must get Lara Croft’s casting spot-on; otherwise, the show will fall flat.
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Who Do Fans Think Should Play Lara Croft?
Fans have been taking to social media to call for British actor Hayley Atwell to play Lara Croft in this upcoming Tomb Raider series, and many feel that this would be perfect casting. Atwell has already impressed audiences in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Agent Carter, and even went on to star in her own Marvel spinoff series as the character. Most recently, Atwell starred alongside Tom Cruise in the latest Mission: Impossible movie, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, and she was genuinely terrific in that film.
Atwell is not afraid to take on roles beloved by fans, and she’s proven her ability to deliver excellent performances. MCU fans also know that Atwell portrayed one of the most iconic Marvel superheroes, Captain Britain, in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where she performed so well that audiences called for her to be a permanent fixture in the MCU.
What’s Going On With The Live-Action Lara Croft Series?
If the Tomb Raider series for Prime Video is to have any chance of succeeding, it needs a strong lead. Lara Croft needs to be perfectly cast. There was a point when fans believed that Phoebe Waller-Bridge might be playing the lead role. While it’s true Waller-Bridge is behind the series as a writer and will serve as an executive producer, it’s unclear if she will also be starring. The latest rumors suggest that Waller-Bridge is opting not to star as Lara Croft in the series, and that casting for the role is already underway.
According to Deadline, there are two actors who are current frontrunners for the role. One is Sophie Turner (known for her role as Sansa Stark on Game of Thrones) and Barbie’s Lucy Boynton. Deadline reports that they either will or already have done a screen test for the role. Earlier reports mentioned Deadpool & Wolverine’s Emma Corrin and Terminator: Dark Fate’s Mackenzie Davis as contenders for the role. However, it appears those reports might not have been entirely accurate, as Deadline now states neither actor was ever considered for the part of Lara Croft.
Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander have previously played the role in live-action films, and they were both well-received by fans of the original Tomb Raider video games. However, these are not the only actors to have portrayed Lara Croft. Other actors have brought the character to life across many video games, though not in live-action.
Why Is Hayley Atwell the Perfect Actor to Play Lara Croft?
One of those actors is Hayley Atwell, who voiced Lara Croft in the animated Netflix series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. Unfortunately, the series itself wasn’t particularly well-received, and the consensus seems to be that it’s okay but nothing special. However, most people — including critics and fans — agree that Hayley Atwell delivers an excellent performance as Lara Croft. She seems to understand the character, and has even expressed interest in playing her in live-action. Atwell revealed this during an interview with GamesRadar+, stating:
“To continue to be involved or to be involved in another way with [Lara Croft] would be an absolute dream and also a responsibility I would take seriously given how beloved and known she is.”
Atwell also added that she:
“[…] had an absolute blast doing this with this creative team. I’ve loved working with [director Meredith Layne] and [showrunner Tasha Huo] on this, and having Netflix behind it […] I would be completely honored to carry on in some way, or to have Lara in my life in a different capacity, for sure.”
Hayley Atwell Was Born to Play Lara Croft
It seems Atwell would relish the opportunity to play Croft again, and she hints in that quote that she’d love the opportunity to portray her in live-action. Sophie Turner and Lucy Boynton would both do a fine job — Turner is British, and Boynton grew up in the UK, so both would have the right accent for the role. It’s vital that the character be British and rather posh, but there’s something about Hayley Atwell that screams Lara Croft.
For a start, Atwell has the right physique to play Croft. She’s strong, tough, and has already proven she’s brilliant at action scenes. Lara Croft is an adventurer and archaeologist, almost a female Indiana Jones, who just happens to be British and from a different socio-economic background. Hayley Atwell would be believable in that role, given her acting ability and experience.
Moreover, Croft is an aristocrat — the daughter of Lord Richard Croft — and Atwell has the gravitas to portray that kind of character. Neither Angelina Jolie nor Alicia Vikander truly captured this aspect of the character, but Atwell would. She’s also from Kensington in London, which is close to Croft’s background in the games (Lara is from Wimbledon in South London).
The fact that so many fans of the iconic video game franchise have voiced their support for Atwell as a live-action Lara Croft is also interesting. Although she may be a bit older than some of the other actors being considered, fans seem more interested in a version of Lara Croft who’s already established, someone who knows and understands the world she operates in. It’s clear what fans don’t want is yet another Lara Croft origin story. That’s been done enough — it’s time to move forward with the character in live-action.
There is no release date yet for this Prime Video Tomb Raider live-action series.
Tomb Raider
Tomb Raider is one of the biggest names in action-adventure gaming. The series began in 1996 and has had three trilogies of games: the original trilogy, the legend trilogy, and the survivor trilogy, as well as a handful of other titles in-between.
The Tomb Raider series is led by protagonist Lara Croft, who is considered to be one of the most important female characters in gaming history.