Tomb Raider Star Gives Fans A Concerning Update
The "Tomb Raider" series started way back in 1996 with an incredibly popular PlayStation game by the same name. Although the story wasn't anything groundbreaking, being heavily influenced by "Indiana Jones" and "Tank Girl" (per BBC News), the 3D gameplay and graphics captivated gamers. The game was such a hit it inspired two films starring Angelina Jolie released in the early 2000s.
And after the games series was rebooted in 2013, so was the film series. In 2018 "Tomb Raider" returned to the big screen, this time starring Swedish actress Alicia Vikander. This film resembled the 2013 reboot game more than the original series, with Laura getting stranded on a remote island and taking it upon herself to investigate rumors that an ancient Japanese Queen resides there.
And just like the 2001 Laura Croft film, the 2018 reboot did well enough at the box office to warrant a sequel. Even Vikander previously mentioned that a sequel was in the works via a script by "Lovecraft Country" writer Misha Green. But the film was delayed due to the coronavirus and other issues (via Entertainment Weekly). Now, to the dismay of "Tomb Raider" fans, recent information makes many believe the film may never come to fruition.
A sequel may not be happening after all
First reported by Entertainment Weekly, in an interview for the HBO series "Irma Vep," Alicia Vikander shared some bad news about the sequel with fans. When asked if a sequel will happen, Vikander said, "With the MGM and Amazon buyout, I have no clue. Now it's kind of politics." Vikander continued, "I think Misha [Green] and I have been ready, so it's kind of in somebody else's hands, to be honest." Of course, Vikander refers to MGM being acquired by Amazon in March to get new films onto Amazon's streaming platform (via Variety). And since Amazon's in-house content is primarily series, a big-budget action movie like "Tomb Raider" might not be what it's looking for.
When asked about what direction Green was taking the series, Vikander said, "[I] can't really say." She added, "I've been excited to show the world," and said she is a massive fan of Green's work on "Lovecraft Country." Whether the "Tomb Raider" sequel will happen anytime soon or at all is unclear. According to Vikander, it looks like MGM isn't in any hurry to get the film off the ground. In the meantime, "Tomb Raider" fans can check out the "Tomb Raider" anime when it releases in late 2022 or early 2023.