When it comes to the fantasy and sci-fi genres, fan-favorite shows are constantly being canceled. There are so many fantasy and sci-fi shows that deserved a longer life but were ultimately cut short for various reasons. Some of these shows have hailed from streaming services, particularly Netflix, and the streamer just announced another unfortunate cancellation.
On Sept. 4, Netflix announced that Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft season 2 will be the final season of the animated series based on the video game series that spawned the film adaptations starring Angelina Jolie. The animated series was previously renewed for season 2 in October 2024 right after the show's premiere, but Netflix hadn't indicated at the time that the show would be ending.
In addition to revealing that Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft ends with season 2, Netflix also shared the release date for the final season. The full second and final season will drop on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, which is one year and two months after the release of season 1. Since the first season contained eight episodes, season 2 will likely follow suit for a complete series of 16 episodes.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft ending with season 2 on Netflix
Netflix launched the series as a continuation of the Tomb Raider Survivor trilogy and allowed for its narrative to bridge the gap between the original trilogy of video games and the reboot trilogy. Obviously, this has been one of the most popular media franchises of the past three decades, and the cancellation of the animated series is especially ironic considering a recent announcement.
The day before Netflix shared the news that Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft will end with season 2 in December, Game of Thrones and X-Men alum Sophie Turner was announced to be taking over the role of Lara Croft in the upcoming Prime Video live-action series from Emmy winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Hayley Atwell's animated Lara Croft is passing the torch to Sophie Turner's.
It's unclear whether Amazon's forthcoming Tomb Raider series has anything to do with Netflix ending the animated series. The Legend of Lara Croft comes from Legendary while Prime Video's comes from Amazon MGM Studios, but there still could have been a conflict. Amazon has been developing their live-action series since 2023 and officially ordered the show in May 2024.
In the final season of the animated series, Lara Croft (voiced by Hayley Atwell) looks into the mystery of stolen African Orisha mask, teaming up with Sam (Karen Fukuhara) to collect the artifacts and battling a dangerous billionaire who wants to steal the masks. We'll have one last animated adventure with Lara Croft before Turner takes over the double pistols when filming begins next year.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft season 2 premieres Dec. 11 on Netflix.