Earlier this year it was announced thatTomb Raiderwould becoming to the small screencourtesy of Prime Video andPhoebe Waller-Bridge, and we now have our first update on when we can expectthe ball to get rolling on the Lara Croft series. First released in 1996 for PC, PlayStation, and Sega Saturn,Tomb Raiderwas a hugely successful video game that would go on to spawn an entire global franchise that includes games, comics, novels, action figures, and, of course, movies. The first feature film based on the game came in 2001 by way of Angelina Jolie’sLara Croft: Tomb Raider, with the latest installment coming in 2018, which saw Alicia Vikander portray everyone’s favorite treasure hunter.
In a recent interview withThe Wrap, Amazon Head of Television Vernon Sanders was asked about the status of the upcomingTomb Raiderseries. It seems that things are still a ways off, but Sanders took the time to praise the efforts of Waller-Bridge, while also commenting that the hunt for a new Lara Croft will begin “sooner rather than later.”
“We are hard at work. We’ve got great material. Phoebe is really good. We’re really excited. My guess is we’ll spend the rest of this year getting things prepped so that we can start production early next year. We’ve got to find our Lara Croft, so that global wide search will start sooner rather than later.”
Fans Need to Ease Up On Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Her Take on Tomb Raider
News of a newTomb Raiderseries has already received a mixed reception,with many fans railing at Waller-Bridgethanks to her involvement in 2023’sIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, a film which disappointed many die-hard Indy fans and critics, and failed to meet box office expectations for Disney. With her new duties as writer and executive producer on theTomb Raiderseries revealed, many are already calling it dead in the water, which is an unfair assumption given Waller-Bridge’s past record.
Sure, her performance inIndiana Jones and the Dial of Destinymay have missed the mark for some, but people are already forgetting that Waller-Bridge has given us some of the best TV shows when she’s left to her own devices. These include thecritically acclaimed dramedyFleabag, which she wrote, produced, and starred in, as well as the equally acclaimed spy thrillerKilling Eve, of which Waller-Bridge served as executive producer and writer.
For fans to say that she doesn’t have the chops to bringTomb Raiderto life is a gross disservice to the award-winning writer and creator, and it would serve them well to reserve judgment until the series airs. Waller-Bridge is, after all, a lifelong fan of the franchise, saying at the time of the announcement of the new series that the Lara Croft saga has been “a huge part of my life.”
“If I could tell my teenage self this was happening I think she’d explode. Tomb Raider has been a huge part of my life and I feel incredibly privileged to be bringing it to television with such passionate collaborators. Lara Croft means a lot to me, as she does to many, and I can’t wait to go on this adventure. Bats ‘n all.”
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Director Addresses a Helena Shaw Spinoff
Director James Mangold has addressed the idea of an Indiana Jones spinoff led by Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Helena Shaw.
The trend of being a fan of something while at the same time berating the efforts of those who try and bring a fresh new take to an already iconic institution needs to stop. Yeah, we’re looking at you,Star Warsfans. Why be a fan of something if all you’re going to do is pick apart every little detail to prove a point? Is it for social media clout? To make yourself feel superior to those who have way more money – and power – than you’re able to ever dream of? With all due respect, go write some fan-fiction if you think you can do it better.
For now, ease up on Waller-Bridge and let her do her thing. The BBC gave her a chance and look what happened? Let’s put our faith in Waller-Bridge, and all those involved, that she’ll bring to life Lara Croftin a way we’d never imagined, and who knows? She might just surprise us.
