Amazon MGM Studios are getting ready to press play on their series adaptation of the video game franchise Tomb Raider by announcing that Game of Thrones alumni Sophie Turner will embody the iconic explorer, Lara Croft.
Written, created and executive produced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who will now split showrunner duties with Chad Hodge (Wayward Pines), Tomb Raider is officially set to begin production on Jan. 19, 2026.
Turner, who was first linked with the role in late 2024, inherits the flaming torch from Alicia Vikander and Angelina Jolie, who both played the risk-taking relic-hunter in big screen iterations of the property.
Waller-Bridge sung the praises of the X-Men star in a statement (via Variety), saying “I’m so excited to announce the formidable Sophie Turner as our Lara alongside this phenomenal creative team,” continuing “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…”
First released by Eidos Interactive in 1996, the Tomb Raider series has sold over $100 million gaming units worldwide. Angelina Jolie seemed like the perfect fit for the franchise when Lara Croft: Tomb Raider earned $274 million at the box-office in 2001, but just two years later The Cradle of Life stiffed to the tune of $160 million, consigning the franchise to the vaults for fifteen years. 2018’s Alicia Vikander-headlined reboot looted $274 million at the global box-office, but rights issues put paid to any potential sequel.
Lara Croft was last portrayed by Hayley Atwell, who voiced the character in Legendary Television’s animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, which premiered on Netflix last year and has since been renewed for a second season.
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