For years, Phoebe Waller-Bridge has had an extremely lucrative development deal with Amazon Prime, a deal which has yielded next to nothing. One of the reasons why Prime kept pouring money into Waller-Bridge’s coffers (something like $120 million thus far) is because they wanted to eventually get Phoebe to develop a series based on the Lara Croft video game. Lara Croft has been adapted for films – notably with Angelina Jolie as Lara, and not so notably with Alicia Vikander in the role – and I guess Lara has become the new Spider-Man, in that every generation gets a new one. Well, Waller-Bridge is finally putting it together… with Sophie Turner as Lara.
Sophie Turner is in negotiations to star as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, Prime Video’s high-profile series adaptation of the video game franchise from Emmy-winning Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, sources tell Deadline. A rep for Amazon MGM Studios declined comment.
As we reported exclusively last month, the Game Of Thrones alumna was among the actresses who tested for the high-profile role, previously played on the big screen by Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander. Tomb Raider, which Amazon MGM Studios Head Jennifer Salke called “epic” and “globe-trotting” while announcing the series order in May, has been a passion project for writer/executive producer Waller-Bridge, who spoke fondly of the title character at the time of the pickup.
“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,” she said in May.
Tomb Raider is executive produced by Waller-Bridge and Jenny Robins through Wells Street Productions, Dmitri M. Johnson through dj2 Entertainment, Michael Scheel, and rights holders Legendary Television as well as Crystal Dynamics. Greenblatt and Andolina are consulting producers under their Star Party banner. The series is produced by Crystal Dynamics and Amazon MGM Studios.
Turner, an Emmy nominee for her first major role as Sansa Stark on Game Of Thrones, currently headlines the British crime drama limited series Joan and next stars in another British show, Haven, for Prime Video, home of the Tomb Raider series. She is repped by CAA, Independent Talent, and Hansen Jacobson Teller.
This would be the first time Lara Croft, a canonically English character, would be played by an English actress. For that alone, I think it’s an interesting choice. I also think Sophie would do a decent-to-good job, although it remains to be seen if she plans to do the stunt work. I honestly think Sophie would play Lara more like Angelina played her – arch, playful, badass. Are the fan-boys freaking out? I don’t have a sense of whether Lara Croft is still one of the characters the younger guys care about?
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.