Lara Croft is basically the queen of the comeback. If you’ve been keeping an eye on Hollywood’s obsession with gaming, you already know that the search for a lara croft tomb raider new movie has been a bit of a wild ride lately. Honestly, it’s confusing. One minute we’re hearing about sequels to the 2018 Alicia Vikander film, and the next, the rights are jumping around like Lara in a platforming level.
But here is the reality: things have changed. We aren't just looking at a single film anymore.
Amazon MGM Studios is currently the architect of a massive, interconnected universe. This isn't just a rumor. As of January 2026, the gears are moving fast. While people keep searching for a "movie," what they are actually finding is a high-budget, live-action series that serves as the cornerstone for a new cinematic world. Sophie Turner, who you definitely know from Game of Thrones, is officially stepping into the boots.
Why the "Movie" is Actually a Much Bigger Plan
It is easy to get hung up on the word "movie." In the old days, a franchise was just a series of films. Now? It is an "interconnected storytelling universe." Amazon is treating this like the MCU.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge—the brilliant mind behind Fleabag—is the one steering the ship. She is writing and executive producing. This is huge because it signals a shift in tone. We are likely moving away from the gritty, "I can't believe I'm a hero" vibe of the 2018 reboot and heading toward something more dangerous, witty, and perhaps a bit more "classic" Lara.
Waller-Bridge has openly said she wants to do something "dangerous." That’s a vibe.
The plan involves:
💡 You might also like: Kiss My Eyes and Lay Me to Sleep: The Dark Folklore of a Viral Lullaby
- The live-action series starring Sophie Turner.
- A unified timeline that connects new video games (like the upcoming Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis).
- Potential feature films that spin out of the series narrative.
Production on the flagship series officially kicked off on January 19, 2026. If you were expecting a 90-minute flick this summer, you might have to wait for the episodic rollout first, but the scale is reportedly "theatrical" in every sense of the word.
Sophie Turner and the New Face of Lara Croft
Casting Lara Croft is a nightmare for any studio. You have to please fans of the 1996 original, the Angelina Jolie era, and the modern "Survivor" trilogy.
Sophie Turner has been training since February 2025. She’s doing eight hours a day, five days a week. That is intense. In recent interviews, she’s been candid about the physical toll, even mentioning she's discovered she has a "perpetual back problem" from the sheer amount of stunt prep.
She is making a conscious choice to avoid the previous movies.
"I don't want to imitate," she told SiriusXM just a few days ago. Instead, she’s burying herself in the comics and the 500-page "Colossal Collections." She wants to find a version of Lara that feels original. It’s a risky move, but probably the right one. Nobody wants a carbon copy of Jolie or Vikander. We want something that feels right for 2026.
The Supporting Cast is Unexpectedly Stacked
This isn't a low-budget TV show. The cast list for this lara croft tomb raider new movie project reads like an Oscar-nomination party.
📖 Related: Kate Moss Family Guy: What Most People Get Wrong About That Cutaway
Sigourney Weaver is in. Let that sink in for a second. The woman who defined female action leads in Alien is joining the Tomb Raider universe as Evelyn Wallis. She’s described as a "high-flying woman" looking to exploit Lara’s skills.
Then you have Jason Isaacs. He’s playing Atlas DeMornay, Lara’s uncle. Fans of the Tomb Raider: Underworld era will recognize that name. It suggests the story is digging deep into the Croft family's messy, aristocratic history.
The rest of the crew:
- Bill Paterson as Winston (the legendary butler).
- Martin Bobb-Semple as Zip (Lara's tech support).
- Sasha Luss as Sasha (a competitive new rival).
- Celia Imrie as Francine (the British Museum's fund-raiser).
What’s Happening With the Alicia Vikander Sequel?
Short answer: It's dead.
Longer answer: It’s a bit of a tragedy for fans of the 2018 film. That movie was actually decent! It made over $270 million, which isn't a disaster. MGM had the rights and was working on a sequel titled Tomb Raider: Obsidian with Misha Green. But then COVID-19 happened. Then Amazon bought MGM.
In the shuffle, MGM missed their window to greenlight the sequel. The rights lapsed. A massive bidding war broke out, and Amazon won. They decided to start fresh. While Vikander was open to coming back, the "unified universe" strategy required a clean slate.
👉 See also: Blink-182 Mark Hoppus: What Most People Get Wrong About His 2026 Comeback
It’s a bummer, but that’s the business.
When Can We Actually Watch It?
Since filming started in January 2026, we are looking at a late 2026 or early 2027 release on Prime Video.
The "movie" aspect of this—the actual feature film—is likely to follow the first season of the show. Amazon’s strategy seems to be "Build the world on TV, then bring the big events to the cinema." It's the opposite of how things used to work.
The series is being directed by Jonathan Van Tulleken, who did incredible work on Shōgun. If he brings that same level of atmosphere and historical grit to Tomb Raider, we are in for something special.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you want to stay ahead of the curve before the lara croft tomb raider new movie universe drops, here is what you should actually be doing:
- Watch the Netflix Anime: Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft (starring Hayley Atwell) is already out and bridges the gap between the games and the new media.
- Keep an eye on the "Legacy of Atlantis" Game: This remake of the 1996 original is launching later this year. It's built in Unreal Engine 5 and will likely feature visual cues that match Sophie Turner’s look.
- Follow the Filming Locations: Reports suggest production is moving between the UK and more tropical locations. If you see leaked set photos of a manor in England, it’s probably Croft Manor.
- Read the Dark Horse Comics: The new series Tomb Raider: Sacred Artifacts just launched its first issue. It deals with Lara after the events of Underworld, which seems to be the era this new live-action project is drawing from.
The "raiding" hasn't started yet, but the map is being drawn. It’s a good time to be a fan.