Over the years, there have been many popular video games being turned into live-action movies. Some of the games to have jumped in on this trend include “Warcraft“, “Five Nights at Freddy’s“, “Borderlands“, and “Mortal Kombat“.
However, having seen the 2001 lacklustre live action adaptation of “Tomb Raider”, we didn’t think that anyone would ever adapt this game again. We were wrong, of course.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, both MGM and Warner Bros. have announced that a “Tomb Raider” reboot is in the works and Norwegian director Roar Uthaug will direct it.
Having penned the Black List script “Hibernation” , “Transformers 5” co-writer Geneva Robertson-Dworet said that he is in negotiations to write the screenplay as well. The project is set to relaunch the “Tomb Raider” franchise that featured the beloved female heroine and the badass archeologist, Lara Croft.
It was previously rumoured that the movie was looking for a female director, with Catherine Hardwicke and Mimi Leder reported to be among those in contention. These rumorus turned out to be untrue when it was announced that Uthaug will be directing it.
Launched in 1996, the popular video game franchise was first adapted into a 2001 movie titled “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider”. British archeologist Lara Croft, who is the main protagonist of the film, was portrayed by Angelina Jolie.
The adaptation received mixed reviews from critics, but its box office success helped spawn a 2013 sequel that also starred Jolie as Croft. Unfortunately, the attempts to launch a franchise have been unsuccessful. In 2011, GK Films acquired the film rights from interactive entertainment company Square Enix and later decided to team up with MGM to produce a new “Lara Croft” movie. It was announced in February this year that Warner Bros. has jumped aboard to co-produce and co-finance the film too.
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The “Tomb Raider” reboot previously spent more than 5 years in development at Warner Bros. before the rights reverted back to Square Enix.
Plot details remain scarce, but the reboot is reportedly going to centre on a young Lara Croft and chronicle her very first adventure.
Robertson-Dworet will work on the screenplay that was previously written by Evan Daugherty (“Snow White and the Huntsman”), Marti Noxon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), and Mark Fergus and Hawk Otsby (“Iron Man“). Graham King of GK Films will produce it while Cassidy Lange of MGM, Denis O’Sullivan of GK Films, Drew Crevello of Warner Bros. will oversee production.
Uthaug is best known for directing “The Wave”, a Norwegian disaster movie that dealt with a tsunami that strikes Norway. The film was shortlisted to be submitted for the “Best Foreign Film” category of Academy Awards.
His feature directing credits include horror thriller “Cold Prey”, “Magic Silver”, and “Escape”. The “Tomb Raider” reboot, however, will be his first English-language film.
No casting has been announced, but who do you think should play Lara Croft? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.
