Live Action Tomb Raider Series Gets Ready to Raid Tombs
- Amazon’s live-action Tomb Raider starts filming in 2026 as part of a wider multimedia universe.
- Phoebe Waller-Bridge writes, Sophie Turner stars as Lara Croft, with the creator of Wayward Pines also onboard.
- A new Crystal Dynamics game is in development under Amazon Games, expanding the Tomb Raider brand.
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Artifact Burglar
Officially announced by Amazon in January 2023, but only greenlit by the company in 2024, the live action Tomb Raider series has been busy getting all its ducks in a row. Now, it’s set to start filming in January 2026. It’s also set to be part of a wider, multi-media universe including video games and films.
It’s being penned by Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Killing Eve) and stars Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner as Lara Croft. Tomb Raider will be streamed via Prime Video, Amazon’s TV branch that also handles game adaptations like Fallout and the upcoming Wolfenstein series.
“Lara Croft is one of the most recognizable and iconic video game characters of all time,” said Vernon Sanders, head of global television at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, in a press release. “We are thrilled to have the wonderfully talented Sophie Turner bring this character to life who is defined by her courage, strength, and unshakable resolve.”
“Led by the brilliant Phoebe Waller-Bridge, this series will honor the beloved Tomb Raider legacy while delivering fresh adventures to fans worldwide.”
Crypt Plunderer
This filming update is also accompanied by news that Chad Hodge has joined the show as a co-writer and executive producer alongside Waller-Bridge; Hodge created Wayward Pines, The Playboy Club, and Runaway, and served as a writer on Good Behavior, The Darkest Minds, and Single All the Way.
Jonathan van Tulleken has also come onboard as an executive producer and director; he’s directed episodes of Dope Thief, Upload, Top Boy, and the recent Shogun series. Plus, although Sophie Turner was attached to the project last year, she has only just been officially confirmed as the lead.
“I’m so excited to announce the formidable Sophie Turner as our Lara alongside this phenomenal creative team,” said Waller-Bridge. “It’s not very often you get to make a show of this scale with a character you grew up loving. Everyone on board is wildly passionate about Lara and are all as outrageous, brave, and hilarious as she is. Get your artifacts out…Croft is coming…”
Mausoleum Molester
Amazon MGM Studios hasn’t revealed too many details about the additional Tomb Raider properties it has lined up, although it did announce a new single-player game is in the works back in 2022. This is being developed by Crystal Dynamics, the studio behind various Lara Croft adventures since Tomb Raider: Legend, in 2006.
However, the game’s IP was owned by Embracer Group, which experienced financial difficulties in 2024 and subsequently split into three companies: Asmodee, Coffee Stain & Friends, and Middle-earth Enterprises & Friend. This sparked concern that the new game would be in trouble, but the Vice President of Amazon Games (which is financing and publishing the game) said there was nothing to worry about in an interview with Variety in June last year.
“It’s not always as straightforward as you have one show that you own all the rights from all the other ones,” said Christoph Hartmann, who previously co-founded 2K. “But it’s a big part of transmedia for us. Obviously, we want to work much closer together, and we’ll be working much closer together with the different entertainment areas Amazon has and a very natural one is Prime Video.”
“You see it with Tomb Raider, where we’re gonna have a Tomb Raider game coming and they’re doing a show. And some people say, ‘Oh, will they be linked together?’ And I give them the example, look at Spider-Man. There’s amazing, amazing games. There’s great animated content, there’s great live-action, and everyone seems to be very happy with that.”
“So it does not need to be always that everything is mingled together, but it’s really one brand, which really just shows for me why transmedia nowadays is so important, and how games is such a vital part.”
Catacomb Looter
The last Tomb Raider game was technically Tomb Raider Pinball, released in June this year by Zen Studios. But, the last proper Tomb Raider title was Shadow of The Tomb Raider in 2018; there have been multiple remasters of earlier titles released since.
The TV series marks the first appearance of Lara Croft on the small screen outside of animated shows, but she’s appeared on the big screen several times. Angelina Jolie famously portrayed everyone’s favorite busty temple thief in two movies, while Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina) played Croft in a 2018 film based on the gritty reboot games from around that time. A sequel was planned but ended up being cancelled in 2024.
The Tomb Raider IP is currently owned by Story Kitchen, a company with multiple video game IPs for film and television, including Sonic, Just Cause, and Clair Obscura: Expedition 33.
As for the state of the new game, Hartmann has said that it’s still in development, and that when news comes “it’s not going to be tomorrow, but it’s not too far away.”
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