Fleabag’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge is reportedly writing a new Lara Croft series for Amazon.
MGM
Although a sequel to 2018’s Tomb Raider was canceled in the summer of last year, Amazon is reported to be developing a TV series for its Prime Video service based on the adventures of Lara Croft instead.
Emmy-award winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Killing Eve, No Time to Die) is said to be writing a script as part of her long-standing content contract with the streaming service and studio. She is also slated to executive produce the show, but won’t star in it.
It’s far too soon to talk about a cast, so it’s not currently known whether the last person to play Lara Croft – Alicia Vikander – will return for the role. Vikander is currently starring in Firebrand as the last of Henry V!!!’s six wives, Catherine Parr. However, that movie has wrapped and is now in the post-production phase, so it is likely that she can be available should Amazon come a’calling.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Tomb Raider TV series will be overseen by Amazon’s former head of comedy and drama, Ryan Andolina, and head of deals, Amanda Greenblatt. They have formed their own production company and have a deal with Amazon.
The Tomb Raider game franchise has been largely quiet over the last few years, with the Square Enix in-house studio, Crystal Dynamics, having been sold to the Embracer Group in 2022. However, it was announced at the end of the year that Amazon Games will be publishing the next title in the series.
It has been heavily tipped for the next Tomb Raider game to be officially unveiled during E3 2023 in June. The name is not known yet, nor are many details, but it is not thought to be part of the self-contained trilogy that ended with Shadow of the Tomb Raider, also released in 2018
Amazon also completed its acquisition of MGM in spring last year – the studio behind the last Tomb Raider film – so it all ties up rather nicely for the retailer and streaming giant.