After years in development, the new Lara Croft is about to start raiding some tombs. Sophie Turner will take on the role of the iconic video game heroine in a new Prime Video Tomb Raider series, and the production (and Lara) will start shooting sooner than you might think. The series, which is spearheaded by Fleabag‘s Phoebe Waller-Bridge, will begin production on January 19, 2026.
Turner was reported to be taking on the role of the globe-trotting archeologist, who was previously played by Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander, late last year; however, this is the first official confirmation of the news. Says Turner, “I am thrilled beyond measure, to be playing Lara Croft. She’s such an iconic character, who means so much to so many — and I am giving everything I’ve got. They’re massive shoes to fill, following in the steps of Angelina and Alicia with their powerhouse performances, but with Phoebe at the helm, we (and Lara) are all in very safe hands.” Waller-Bridge adds, “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…”
Who Is Lara Croft?
A British archeologist from an aristocratic background, Lara Croft ventures fearlessly into ancient temples, booby-trapped tombs, and crumbling ruins in search of historical artifacts; she’s equipped to handle any sort of danger, whether natural or supernatural, with her quick wit and twin pistols. The character first appeared in the 1996 video game Tomb Raider; the game, and the character, were an instant hit, and spawned a successful franchise of sequels, spin-offs, and reboots. Croft first hit the big screen in 2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, with Angelina Jolie starring opposite a pre-Bond Daniel Craig. A sequel, 2003’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life followed, with Jolie reprising the role alongside Gerard Butler. The franchise was rebooted in 2018 with Tomb Raider: Alicia Vikander played a younger Croft facing off against a villainous Walton Goggins. Last year, the animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft premiered on Netflix, with Hayley Atwell voicing the lead character; a second season is in the works.
Waller-Bridge will serve as creator, writer, executive producer, and co-showrunner on the new series. Chad Hodge (Wayward Pines) will also co-showrun the series and executive produce, while Jonathan Van Tulleken (Shogun) will direct and executive produce. The series is a production of Story Kitchen, Crystal Dynamics, and Amazon MGM Studios.
Tomb Raider will begin production on January 19, 2026; no release date for the series has yet been announced.
via Collider