Despite speculation from the fan base, Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Tomb Raider reboot is still moving ahead at Amazon MGM Studios. The new live-action series was announced in early 2023, with the Fleabag creator and star attached to write and executive produce the series. It was also revealed that the show will tie into an upcoming movie, which will recast the character again after the failed 2018 reboot, starring Alicia Vikander.
Speaking to Variety, Amazong MGM Studios head, Jennifer Salke, gave a long-awaited update on the show. “Phoebe is well into it and working in close partnership with [Tomb Raider general manager] Dallas Dickinson and the game producers,” Salke revealed. News about the series had gone radio silent following the project’s initial announcement. As a result, fans began speculating if the show and new movie had been canceled, especially with the brand-new animated Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft series having just been released on Netflix.
During the discussion, Jennifer Salke explained why the project has moved so slowly through development. Amazon MGM Studios are apparently steadfast in their faith in Phoebe Waller-Bridge, recounting her personal love for the franchise. The studio is willing to delay the project as Waller-Bridge pursues other acting, writing, and directing projects (including the 2023 film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny). Salke said:
“When we look at a long-term commitment to a creator like Phoebe — we’re so happy now that we retained her because she’s obsessed with, and grew up playing Lara Croft/Tomb Raider. So the fact that she’s the creator and bringing this character to life, we think it’s going to be a huge franchise for us.”
When Will Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Tomb Raider Begin Production?
As excited as fans are to hear that the Fleabag creator is still working on her rebooted Tomb Raider series, Jennifer Salke’s comments didn’t give them any kind of timeframe to expect the project within. The only other major update the project received was back in July of this year. Vernon Sanders, head of Amazon MGM Studios television, suggested that the show could move into production in early 2025. The executive said that Waller-Bridge would be “more free to continue work on Tomb Raider,” when her work on The Dial of Destiny had finished.
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Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft was made by dedicated fans of the games.
Whether Vernon Sanders’ suggestion comes true remains to be seen. We are currently none the wiser about the current state of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Tomb Raider project, and how far into the writing process she is. Whatever happens, the fan base hopes that the new project will fare better than past adaptations of the beloved video game franchise. While the Angelina Jolie starring, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider films have garnered a small cult following, they were far from critical hits. Alicia Vikander’s modern reboot garnered similarly middling reviews from audiences and critics. The new animated series appears to have fared slightly better, earning a 62% score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it still isn’t the mega-hit the incredible gaming franchise deserves. Here’s hoping the latest effort fares far better.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft is a new animated action-adventure series developed for Netflix by Powerhouse Animation (Castlevania, Seis Manos) and Legendary Entertainment. The series is set to pick up after the events of the video game reboot trilogy some time after Shadow of the Tomb Raider, with Haley Atwell voicing the titular globe-trotting protagonist.
- Release Date
- October 10, 2024
- Seasons
- 1