The Tomb Raider franchise is a legend in gaming, but its movie history has always been messy. For more than twenty years, live-action attempts have missed the mark and failed to capture what makes Lara Croft such an icon. Fans have been waiting for something that truly does her justice, and now it looks like that moment is finally here. Amazon is bringing Lara back with a brand new live-action TV series, starring Sophie Turner and guided by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. This report breaks down why this project has everything it needs to be a massive success, taking the lessons of the past and putting the right team in place to finally deliver the Lara Croft we deserve.

The Silver Screen's Flawed Adventures

The Angelina Jolie Era: Style Over Substance

The first two sets of Tomb Raider movies show how tough it is to fit a big video game story into a two-hour film. The early 2000s films starring Angelina Jolie were a huge deal. The first movie was a big hit at the box office, making $274.7 million worldwide. Critics and audiences loved Jolie's performance, with many calling her a "fated casting" because she was such a perfect match for the classic Lara Croft: fearless and full of attitude.

But even with a great star, the movies had some big problems. Critics gave them bad reviews, saying the plots were "shallow" and a "cliche-ridden mess". The director of the second movie even said he "hated working on the movie" because the studio and game makers kept interfering. The films succeeded mostly because of Angelina Jolie's star power and the cool action scenes, not because they told a good story.

The Alicia Vikander Era: An Unfulfilled Promise

The 2018 movie reboot, with Alicia Vikander, tried a new approach by following the popular "Survivor" video game story. This film was better received by critics and was praised for sticking closely to the games. It showed Lara as a more "multidimensional character with relatable motivations and vulnerabilities". Vikander, a very talented actress, played a more realistic and human version of Lara.

Despite these good points, the movie had its own set of issues. The villain was "boring," and the story felt "watered down". The movie also spent too much time setting up sequels that never happened. The biggest problem was trying to cram a 12-hour game story into a two-hour movie. This meant key friends and supporting characters had to be cut, which made the story feel less emotional and "underwhelming”

A Character in Constant Motion

A key detail people often miss is that Lara Croft is not a single character. The games have given us three different versions of her, which is a big challenge for a single movie but a perfect opportunity for a TV show.

The "Classic" Lara was a witty, aristocratic, and fearless adventurer with her famous dual pistols and amazing gymnastics. The "Survivor" Lara, from the newer games, is a much more human person. She's vulnerable and emotional, and she relies on survival skills, stealth, and a bow and arrow instead of her pistols. A two-hour movie has to choose which version to show, which can upset some fans. But a long-form TV series can start with the more vulnerable "Survivor" Lara and, over many seasons, show her gradually grow into the confident adventurer we all know. This way, we get a single, complete story that a movie could never tell

The Charm of the Small Screen

The Power of a TV Show

The TV series format is the best way to adapt a video game this big. Recently, TV shows based on games have been "FAR superior" to movies, with hits like The Last of Us and Fallout. A series gives the show time to really develop characters and their stories, which a two-hour movie just can't. This means the show can explore Lara's "family history" and "formative experiences" in a natural way. It also avoids the problem the 2018 movie had, where it had to cut out Lara's friends because of time limits.

Tomb Raider Works On TV

We actually have a recent example that proves a TV show is a great way to tell a Lara Croft story. The animated series, Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, from Netflix has been called Hollywood's most successful Tomb Raider adaptation yet, even with a few bumps along the way. The show's amazing animation and strong voice acting were a big hit. It also gave plenty of screen time to Lara's friends and supporting characters, which the last movie failed to do. The show added new emotional depth to Lara's story and was more imaginative with its fantasy elements than the films had been. While the writing was a little clunky at first and some character designs didn’t excite viewers, the show found its rhythm and showed that a smaller screen can truly bring Lara's world to life/

The Creative Team

One of the biggest reasons for optimism is the creative team. Phoebe Waller-Bridge has a lot of creative control over the series. Her writing is famous for being "snappy" and having "mischievous wit" and "emotionally honest" storytelling. Her work on Fleabag and Killing Eve proves she's amazing at creating "unapologetically human," complex, and flawed female characters that audiences fall in love with. Her skills are exactly what the previous movies were missing when they failed to give Lara the intelligence and wit she deserved.

A New Lara for a New Era: Sophie Turner

The choice of Sophie Turner as Lara Croft has caused some mixed reactions, with some fans wondering if she can be "bad-ass" enough. But this is a mistake. The genius of her casting is that she's being picked for her ability to show a character's growth over time. Her most famous role, Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones, was a character who went from a naive young girl to a powerful leader over many seasons. This experience is perfect for Lara's journey from a survivor to a tomb raider. This shows the new series is focused on telling a slow, believable story, which is exactly what it needs to do.

A Bright Future

The Evolution of Laura Croft by joaoppereiraus

The previous Tomb Raider movies failed because they tried to fit a huge, sprawling story into a restrictive film format. The Angelina Jolie films were charismatic but lacked a good story, while the Alicia Vikander film had the right story but had no time to tell it properly. The new series solves these problems by using the TV format, which is a perfect fit for the games' scope. With a visionary writer, a lead actress who is a pro at showing character growth, and a medium that allows for deep storytelling, this new show is positioned to finally deliver the adaptation fans have been waiting for.

But what do you think? Have they finally learned their lesson with Laura or will we be doomed to raid this tomb to death? Tell me below!