Is Tomb Raider 2 Still Happening, Or Is Alicia Vikander Finished With Lara Croft?
Action franchises feel more popular than ever before, but there still seems to be a dearth of female action stars on-screen. Alicia Vikander helped change that in 2018, packing on 12 kilograms of muscle to star in a scrappy reboot of "Tomb Raider." Compared to Angelina Jolie's two-film turn as Lara Croft, Vikander was on a completely different level. Both iterations of "Tomb Raider" have their merits, of course, but the reboot eschewed the oversexualized, mid-noughties tone that had plagued the property for years. For once, Lara Croft was free of the male gaze. That's not to say that Vikander didn't look amazing in Lara's iconic grey tank and khaki fatigues. (Those shoulders! Those abs!) But the film put as much emphasis on the character's inner world — and her harrowing origin story — as it did on her looks.
And clearly, that renewed focus paid off. "Tomb Raider" wasn't exactly a critical darling, but it did just fine at the box office, pulling in a plush $274 million and meriting a sequel with ease. There was certainly a demand for it: Fans wanted more of Vikander as Croft, and the producers at MGM were prepared to provide it. "Tomb Raider 2" began development in 2019 ... but four years later, we're still no closer to seeing Vikander's return. The sequel weathered a pandemic, a changing of the guard, and more — but is it still awaiting the green light? How does Vikander feel about all these delays? Is she still set to return as Lara Croft? Here's everything we know about the "Tomb Raider" sequel, and whether or not it's still in the works.
Why hasn't Tomb Raider 2 happened yet?
In our franchise-obsessed era, the quest of finding and acquiring lucrative IP has become something akin to a bloodsport. Rights to video games especially are very in right now, and that's part of the appeal of "Tomb Raider." MGM held the rights to the game long enough to make the 2018 film, and were working on developing a sequel in 2019. It was set for a tentative release in 2021, but when COVID-19 struck the world in 2020, plans for "Tomb Raider 2" ground to a halt.
"High-Rise" director Ben Wheatley was originally tapped to helm "Tomb Raider 2," developing a script by his wife and frequent collaborator, Amy Jump. When pandemic-related delays caused production to stall, Wheatley and Jump eventually departed the project, making room for "Lovecraft Country" creator Misha Green to take over as writer and director in 2021. All seemed to be going well — Alicia Vikander was even set to return in the leading role — but things took another turn the following year.
Rights to popular IP often have an expiration date. Per a deal that MGM signed in 2013, the studio had until May 2022 to begin production on "Tomb Raider 2" — otherwise their rights to the franchise would expire. But on-set delays, including a ballooning budget and reported disagreements between Vikander and Green, kept MGM from greenlighting the sequel. "Theoretically, this was an MGM f*** up," an anonymous executive told TheWrap at the time. "MGM moved with no levels of urgency. They had a window they missed."
It likely didn't help that, just a few months before MGM's lease lapsed, Amazon acquired the studio for a whopping $8.5 billion. The acquisition could have forced a few projects into limbo, including "Tomb Raider 2," as there was certainly a lot of back-and-forth behind the scenes. Though Amazon eventually purchased the rights to "Tomb Raider" anew, and are working on their own adaptation of the title now, it's said to be yet another full-on reboot — so chances of Vikander reprising the role are slim to none.
Everything Alicia Vikander has said about Tomb Raider 2
Fans the world over have been clamoring for a sequel to "Tomb Raider" since 2018, but few seemed more excited than Alicia Vikander. Since she first made her debut as Lara Croft, the actor has fielded questions about "Tomb Raider 2" and remained hopeful that it'd eventually be greenlit. "The script is in the making," she told Collider in 2021. "I think everyone is excited, and I would love to revisit Lara again." After so many obstacles stacked against the production, however, her comments about a sequel eventually grew more tentative. By the time the film rights lapsed in 2022, she wasn't shy about her disappointment.
Vikander was reportedly crushed by the canceled "Tomb Raider" sequel. "I mean, I thought we were very much [good to go]," she told Variety in 2023. "We had a director and writer." More than that, Misha Green was reportedly working on a new script, complete with a decidedly badass title, "Tomb Raider: Obsidian." Things just didn't work out in the project's favor, but Vikander looks back fondly on the "Tomb Raider" film she did have the chance to complete.
The chance to portray Lara Croft was "another one of those childhood dreams" for Vikander, as she told Variety. She's since moved on to other projects, like the period thriller "Firebrand," but is still open to another role in an action film. "To portray an action character was awesome, and beyond what I ever thought I would do," Vikander continued. "I think the physical part is something that I really enjoyed."
What could have happened in Tomb Raider 2
"Tomb Raider" left the door wide open for more Lara Croft adventures down the line. It served as a pretty sound origin story for the character, complete with a mid-credits homage to her iconic braid and dual pistols. It even set up a prime antagonist in Ana Miller (Kristin Scott Thomas), Lara's trusted mentor and the executor of the Croft estate. After her run-in with an insidious organization called Trinity, Lara suspects that Ana is a double agent. "Tomb Raider 2" might have seen her face off with Ana between another globetrotting adventure; unfortunately, we'll never know what either of the sequel's screenwriters had planned.
That said, we have gotten a glimpse of a scrapped sequence from the film. Storyboard artist Jake Lunt Davies shared images of a planned scene for "Tomb Raider 2," where a group of masked mercenaries infiltrate Croft Manor. The scene parallels a sequence in Angelina Jolie's "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," but it's just as likely that "Tomb Raider 2" would have taken inspiration from the video games as well. There are a whopping 19 to choose from, going back as far as 1996 — though the sequel was rumored to model its plot off more recent installments, like 2015's "Rise of the Tomb Raider" and 2018's "Shadow of the Tomb Raider."
Who would the stars of Tomb Raider 2 be?
"Tomb Raider" had an unbelievably stacked cast: Apart from Alicia Vikander and Kristin Scott Thomas, it also managed to wrangle the likes of Walton Goggins, Dominic West, and English legend Derek Jacobi. Not everyone would return for a sequel, though. As Goggins portrayed the villain in the 2018 film, and was fatally defeated by Lara Croft, there's little chance we'd see him again. West played Lord Richard Croft, Lara's father, with whom she reunites after he's been missing for years. Their reunion is, unfortunately, short-lived: Richard sacrifices himself to thwart Trinity's evil scheme. That said, he did leave behind a cache of recordings for Lara back in his secret office in Croft Manor — if "Tomb Raider 2" were to hypothetically happen, West could easily return in a strictly archival capacity.
While Vikander was attached to return as Lara Croft, Thomas' return was still up in the air. There was no word on whether Daniel Wu — who co-starred as Lara's ally Lu Ren — would be back to reprise his role. Lu Ren was a character created specifically for "Tomb Raider," according to director Roar Uthaug, and one of the best parts of the film. That said, we'll never know whether he was slated to return, or whether the "Into the Badlands" star had moved on to other projects.
So little is known about "Tomb Raider 2," especially where casting is concerned, but it's safe to assume that Vikander and Thomas would have been the main cast members returning. The sequel would have sent Lara on another adventure in a different part of the world, thus requiring a new group of supporting players. Production was rumored to be searching for a young woman of color to co-lead the film with Vikander, which could have made up for the first film's lack of female characters. Perhaps Amazon's "Tomb Raider" reboot can pick up where these reports left off. Two of Lara's allies in the games are women of color, so there's definitely a precedent for it.
Lara Croft will live on with Amazon
When MGM's rights to "Tomb Raider" reverted to game developer Square Enix, it incited a bidding war for the chance the reboot the series anew. In 2023, Amazon eventually emerged victorious, leasing the IP for $600 million. "Tomb Raider," MGM, and Amazon are all one big happy family, though it took a few years — and a lot of cash — to get everything under one banner. With all the red tape removed, Amazon is reportedly hitting the ground running with their own Lara Croft universe, and they don't intend to stop with films.
"Fleabag" creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge was tapped to pen a "Tomb Raider" series as a part of her eight-figure overall deal with Amazon. Given her involvement in projects like the Bond film "No Time To Die," "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," and her brief stint on Amazon's "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" reboot, it seems like the actor and screenwriter has a serious taste for treasure hunting. As exciting as it is to see her name attached to the project, don't expect her to follow in Alicia Vikander's footsteps. "Waller-Bridge does not plan to star in the TV adaptation of the property," THR reported in early 2023 — and that might be for the best. At least fans can look forward to a cavalcade of wit with Waller-Bridge involved. No cringe-y, clunky one-liners in this cinematic universe!
Amazon's "Tomb Raider" series was "in the development stages" as of January 2023, and it's just one of a handful of interconnected projects on the horizon. The streamer is also looking to develop a film and a video game based around their version of Lara Croft, all set in the same continuity. Amazon will partner with developer (and "Tomb Raider" rights holders) Crystal Dynamics for the upcoming game. They've been developing "Tomb Raider" adventures for about 20 years, so their collaboration will certainly be something to look forward to.
While the sun has definitely set on Vikander's "Tomb Raider" sequel, it's not all bad news. The film was an unfortunate casualty in Hollywood's ongoing IP wars — but with the rights now secured and a fresh cinematic universe on the way, fans will be getting a whole lot more Lara Croft. Hopefully, the new franchise can live up to the hype.