Alicia Vikander to Play Lara Croft in ‘Tomb Raider’ Reboot Justin Kroll APRIL 28, 2016 | 01:34PM PT
“The Danish Girl” star Alicia Vikander has nabbed one of Hollywood’s most coveted leading roles.
Vikander will be playing Lara Croft in the MGM and GK Films’ “Tomb Raider” reboot, it was announced Thursday. Norwegian helmer Roar Uthaug is on board to direct.
While other actresses had met for the role, including Daisy Ridley, source indicate that Vikander had always been the first choice. The reason for the delay of announcement was that the studio was waiting for a new draft of the script, sources say.
MGM joined the project in 2013, acquiring rights to the popular video game to develop the feature in partnership with Graham King’s GK Films. King, who acquired “Tomb Raider” in 2011 from Square Enix, will serve as producer.
The original “Tomb Raider” was released in 1996 by London-based Eidos, which is now part of Square Enix. The games have sold over 35 million units. Square Enix released a reboot in 2013 with a younger Croft (now 21) being sent off on her first big adventure amid amped-up action and set pieces.
Paramount’s two films starring Angelina Jolie as the British archaeologist were released in 2001 and 2003 and grossed $432 million worldwide.
Warner Bros., which owned 20% of Eidos, subsequently launched development of a “Tomb Raider” project with Dan Lin producing, but the feature rights went to Square Enix after it bought Eidos in 2009 for $120 million.
Warners came on board in early 2015. MGM has teamed with the studio on “Hot Pursuit,” “Max” and “Creed.”
Cassidy Lange is overseeing for MGM; Drew Crevello is leading for Warners and Denis O’Sullivan for GK Films.
Vikander won an Oscar for her performance in “The Danish Girl,” and also garnered attention for her performance in “Ex Machina.” Coming up, the actress has the next movie in the Jason Bourne franchise and “The Light Between Oceans” opposite Michael Fassbender.
2. "On one hand she's talented and gorgeous; she deserves hollywood shine" In response to Reply # 0
on the other,
Ugh, another Tombraider movie? Apparently the videogames have gotten more mature and it's more about genuine Indiana Jones thrills then watching a computer but in halter-top move around. But its going to be tough to break that cycle.
3. "Is the problem the Lara Croft character?" In response to Reply # 0
As I understand it, the core of her character is a stilted rich girl who goes on adventures and gets in trouble. She's kind of like Bruce Wayne without a purpose. Or Keira Knightley's Pirates of the Caribbean character without Jack or Will.
The idea of a swashbuckling female hero seems great but then they don't seem to give her the usual personality of a swashbuckling hero. Making Indiana Jones more proper eliminates much of what made Indy great.
If they don't give her more personality and gumption, I'm not sure the character will ever truly make a great jump from video game to big screen hero.
4. "RE: Is the problem the Lara Croft character?" In response to Reply # 3
That's not the 'core' of her character, the new game reboot has spent more time relating to her archaeologist father who died on the brink of finding something, everyone thinking he's crazy, they are focusing a lot on immortality myths right now. I don't know how much room the old games really had for story, and almost forgot Voigt playing her father in the movies a bit. They're not playing up the wealth right now, the movie's were a bit Bond-y, she has no techy sidekick or cool double wielding guns anymore, more grit, I think there's potential in the direction but who knows if that's where they'll go with the movies, I don't actually have expectations.
5. "If they took the premise of the reboot it'd be a fun film" In response to Reply # 4
Personally I hated the villain in Tomb Raider but that was as much the voice acting as the intent of the character.
The plot was dumb but I think it'd be a fun movie and solve the 'rich girl' issues mentioned above. In that game she's just a girl in her early 20s stranded on an island trying to figure out if her friends are still alive and how they ended up there. All her "gadgets" are procured on site and you can feel the growth of her as a character through the progression of tools.
Obviously that'd have to be replaced with actual character progression in a film but it has potential if they just stick to the script. I've never understood why video game movies are so afraid to do that, especially tightly controlled ones like this would be. I get that making a Super Mario movie is nearly impossible but why is it such a struggle to put Uncharted or Metal Gear on the big screen?
Also, the original Tomb Raiders had very spare plots. Tomb Raider III was basically fetch four items and fight a bunch of Velociprators along your way.
They were really dumb games and I was honestly surprised a studio pulled the movie they did out of the OG series' dumpster fire of a plot line.
7. "RE: If they took the premise of the reboot it'd be a fun film" In response to Reply # 5
yeah every character in the games other than Lara aren't very well done, but I think a movie could develop a supporting cast better just with the right actors. I don't know if they want to use the entire origin story, unless they're set on more than one film, because that villain is pretty pointless. The illuminati like Trinity group hunting all this supernatural stuff down has more potential. The newer game definitely has some cinematic moments, I don't really need a movie made out of it in that sense, and The Revenant already did the bear fight idea lol.
I think trying to strictly adapt the story of a game is the problem, I think there's more potential in letting someone tell a new story within a certain universe. It's tough though, personally I think when a game's done right it can be a superior experience, it's hard to fulfill the sense of 'being' the character when you're just watching the screen.
8. "And that's the Achilles heel of most video game films" In response to Reply # 7
> it's hard to fulfill the sense of >'being' the character when you're just watching the screen.
The bottom line is that most video games aren't led by great characters because the player is the leading man. You need to really create the character for the movie and I think you need someone who oozes personality to take over the role ala Downey Jr. with Iron Man. I like Vikander but I'm not sure she has that personality. But maybe she does and it's been waiting to come out.
11. "RE: And that's the Achilles heel of most video game films" In response to Reply # 8
Ya that's why I like the idea of letting a film introduce something new, though that doesn't really work with TR, it's all about Lara, but I think the developer's of the game are serious about this reboot, I think they can bank on the strong female protagonist environment right now and don't think it's going to tire anyone who isn't a bigot anytime soon. They seem pretty serious about getting away from the old image of big polygonal boobs.
But it's funny it got me thinking about what game franchise could sell a good movie and GTA came to mind, like put some of its creators and the right movie people in a room together and brand an original gangster movie with its sense of humour and you might hit gold.
BrooklynWHAT Member since Jun 15th 2007 85068 posts
Sun May-01-16 05:23 PM
9. "well lara isnt really much of a character so " In response to Reply # 3
so they can do pretty much whatever they want to her. people aren't really familiar enough with her character to really have any expectations of her.
just send her out in the jungle/ruins to find some ancient/expensive/lost shit.
in some hot outfit. but it has to be reasonable lest we offend the SJWs.
make her mad skilled/resourceful. give her something to anchor her emotionally (searching for some treasure her father died looking for or something as a way to be close to him).
easy money. it's indiana jones. you have to try to fuck it up.
‘Tomb Raider’ Reboot Casts Walton Goggins as Villain Opposite Alicia Vikander Justin Kroll DECEMBER 7, 2016 | 10:42AM PT
Walton Goggins is in final negotiations to join Warner Bros, MGM and GK Films reboot of “Tomb Raider,” the latest adaptation of the popular video game starring Alicia Vikander as the iconic character Lara Croft.
WB recently announced the pic would be released on March 16, 2018 with Norwegian director Roar Uthaug helming.
Goggins would play the antagonist in the film.
MGM joined the project in 2013, acquiring rights to the popular video game to develop the feature in partnership with Graham King’s GK Films. King, who acquired “Tomb Raider” in 2011 from Square Enix, will serve as producer.
The original “Tomb Raider” video game was released in 1996 by London-based Eidos, which is now part of Square Enix. The games have sold over 35 million units. Square Enix released a reboot in 2013 with a younger Croft (age 21) being sent off on her first big adventure amid amped-up action and set pieces.
Paramount’s two films starring Angelina Jolie as the British archaeologist were released in 2001 and 2003 and grossed $432 million worldwide.
Warner Bros. will co-produce the pic with MGM and GK Films.
Goggins has already had a busy year on the TV front with his HBO series “Vice Principals” which just wrapped its first season and was renewed for a second. On the film side he was most recently seen in Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight” and also has the Seal Team Six History Channel series “Six” bowing next year.
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