It’s official: Sophie Turner is strapping on the dual pistols of Lara Croft for Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming Tomb Raider series!
It’s been a while since we saw Lara Croft in live-action form. The heroine of the long-running Tomb Raider video games has become an icon beyond just game fans, with attempts at more versions of her coming and going.
It’s finally coming together, however, as The Hollywood Reporter confirms—after much speculation—that Turner will star in the new live-action Tomb Raider series co-created by Emmy winner Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Jonathan Van Tulleken will also direct and executive produce.
This is great news, especially as there had been rumors earlier in the year that the project wasn't going ahead during Amazon's change in leadership. However, given the value of the IP and the success Prime Video had with Fallout, another video game adaptation appeared a good bet.
While there had been rumors of Turner’s involvement, this is now certain with Waller-Bridge giving her thoughts on it:
‘I’m so excited to announce the formidable Sophie Turner as our Lara alongside this phenomenal creative team. It’s not very often you get to make a show of this scale with a character you grew up loving. Everyone on board is wildly passionate about Lara and are all as outrageous, brave, and hilarious as she is. Get your artifacts out — Croft is coming.”
Turner added her own thoughts:
“I am thrilled beyond measure to be playing Lara Croft. She’s such an iconic character, who means so much to so many — and I am giving everything I’ve got. They’re massive shoes to fill, following in the steps of Angelina and Alicia with their powerhouse performances, but with Phoebe at the helm, we (and Lara) are all in very safe hands. I can’t wait for you all to see what we have cooking.”
The casting of Turner adds her to the impressive list of ladies who have taken on Tomb Raider in the past.
What Sophie Turner can bring to Tomb Raider
The Tomb Raider games were an instant hit when they began in 1996. The action and puzzles were fun, but they truly stood out for heroine Lara Croft, basically a female Indiana Jones who became an icon for a generation of gamers.
To no surprise, the success of the game series led to Hollywood adaptations, with Angelina Jolie doing a fine job playing Lara in 2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. It looked to kick-start a franchise, but that faltered when 2003’s Lara Croft: The Cradle of Life ended up a box office disappointment, coinciding with a downturn in the game series.
In 2013, the games enjoyed a fantastic revival with a reboot entry with Camilla Ludington voicing a younger Lara. This version would inspire a 2017 movie starring Alicia Vikander. More recently, a Netflix animated series saw Hayley Atwell in the role.
Casting Turner is a great move for the show. Her experience on Game of Thrones showed she can handle the prim woman turned adventurer (Lara is technically Lady Croft, who has her own mansion) as well as the physical challenges for the role.
Turner may need some training for the part, but her cool yet alluring demeanor perfectly fits any version of Lara. Turner's role in fare such as the TV show Joan also proves she can handle the sneaky side of Lara mingling in high society while hunting both artifacts and evil forces.
There’s no word yet on the show’s official synopsis and if it will adapt the more recent games or an original story. Production is set to begin in January 2026. This official casting news is a sign that the new take on Tomb Raider is already off to a great start.