Hayley Atwell will be taking on the mantle of Lara Croft inTomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, and her rendition of the iconic archaeologist could do something neither Angelina Jolie nor Alicia Vikander accomplished. Atwell is just the most recent in a long line of actors who have played Lara Croft in variousTomb Raidervideo games, movies, and now shows. Angelina Jolie first brought the character to life in 2001 withLara Croft: Tomb Raider, and Alicia Vikander rebooted the live-action side of the franchise with 2018’sTomb Raider. Atwell, however, could soon surpass them both.
Both Lara Croft andTomb Raiderhave changed significantly over the past 28 years. In that time, there have been various reboots, restarted continuities, and more. Despite all the franchise’s ups and downs, however, Lara has remained one of the most iconic characters in gaming, even if she struggles to find the same popularity in film and television. Now, Hayley Atwell’s time voicing Lara Croft inTomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, could finally show general audiences why she’s such a beloved character, and she could even turn the series into one of thebest shows on Netflix.
How Tomb Raider’s New Lara Croft Compares To Angelina Jolie & Alicia Vikander
The latest entry in the Tomb Raider multi-media franchise, Netflix’s Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft differs from the Tomb Raider movies.
The Legend Of Lara Croft Is Set In The Same Universe As The Tomb Raider Games
Tomb Raiderhas been a multimedia franchise ever since Angelina Jolie brought Lara Croft to life in live-action in 2001.The Legend of Lara Croft, however, will be the first installment to merge the video games with a serial adaptation, as it is part of the same canon asShadow of the Tomb Raiderand takes place directly after it in theTomb Raidertimeline. The previous three movies were additions to the games rather than continuations, as Jolie’s version was an adaptation of Top Crow’sTomb Raidercomics, whereas Vikander’s movie was a direct adaptation of 2013’sTomb Raidergame.
Though Lara has a new voice, she’s the same character, which should make Atwell’s time in the Tomb Raider franchise quite unique.
Thecast ofThe Legend of Lara Crofteven includes some notable characters from theTomb Raidergames, like Earl Baylon reprising his role as Jonah Maiava. Both Jolie and Vikander’s movies included video game characters, but they were essentially new characters without any established backstory. Even thoughLara was recast forThe Legend of Lara Croft, and Atwell is taking over for Camilla Luddington, it’s still by far the most connected to the games.Though Lara has a new voice, she’s the same character, which should make Atwell’s time in theTomb Raiderfranchise quite unique.
How Hayley Atwell’s Lara Croft Will Be Different From Jolie And Vikander’s Versions
What makes Atwell’s version of Lara Croft so different from Vikander’s and Jolie’s is the fact thatThe Legend of Lara Croftalready has a huge amount of backstory baked into it. Since it’s continuing the same story told in the Survivor Trilogy of games, Lara has already experienced several massive adventures and gone through quite a bit of character development. She’s already reckoned with important parts of her childhood, and she’s already learned what she’s capable of in combat and the wild.The Legend of Lara Croftwon’t have to waste any time establishing who Lara is and her backstory.
Netflix’s Lara Croft Show Can Be The Definitive Tomb Raider Adaptation That Still Hasn’t Happened
Even after three live-action movies, there isn’t one definitive adaptation ofTomb Raider. Both of Jolie’s movies, as well asTomb Raider (2018)have been criticized heavily, and none of them surpassed a score of 55% among audiences or critics onRotten Tomatoes.The Legend of Lara Croftcould be the first non-video game entry to theTomb Raiderfranchise to be widely praised precisely because it continues the games instead of adapting them. It won’t feel likeThe Legend of Lara Croftis treading old ground, something all three movies were criticized for, because it is telling a new chapter of Lara’s story.
20%
47%
24%
44%
52%
55%
If being a direct continuation of the games is as much of an advantage as it seems to be,The Legend of Lara Croftcould join a growing list of esteemed video game adaptations. Animated shows likeArcaneorCastlevaniahave found success among both fans of their respective genres and general audiences because they add to the existing lore in such a compelling way. IfTomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croftcan do the same, it could more than earn the title of being the definitiveTomb Raideradaptation.
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.
