Tomb Raider: Alicia Vikander opens up about the sequel getting canceled in favor of another reboot

Tomb Raider star Alicia Vikander is finally ready to share her thoughts about Lara Croft’s future and the disappointment of watching plans for another chance to play the character go up in smoke. MGM sold the rights to the Tomb Raider franchise to Amazon Prime Video last summer, effectively killing Vikander’s chance to star in a sequel to her 2018 reboot. Rather than make a sequel to Roar Uthaug’s film, Prime Video is teaming up with writer and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny star Phoebe Waller-Bridge for a TV series. Amazon wants to turn Tomb Raider into an expansive franchise. While plans for the television reboot remain a mystery, Vikander is not involved.

Speaking with Variety, Vikander told the outlet she’s grateful for the chance to have played such an iconic character and would not rule out returning if asked.

“I mean, I thought we were very much [good to go]; we had a director and writer,” Vikander told Variety. “But yeah, for me, that was another one of those childhood dreams – to portray an action character was awesome, and beyond what I ever thought I would do. And I think the physical part is something that I really enjoyed.”

“So, yeah, if another opportunity like that came again, I’ll be interested,” she added.

We’ve seen several live-action adaptations of the popular videogame series over the years, including Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life starring Angelina Jolie and Vikander’s Tomb Raider reboot. There was supposed to be a sequel to the Tomb Raider reboot with Vikander returning, but it experienced several delays before it got shelved altogether. Initially, it was set to be helmed by Ben Wheatley (Rebecca), but when production was delayed due to COVID-19, Wheatley departed, and Lovecraft Country‘s Misha Green came on board to write and direct. Alicia Vikander later said that the sequel was in limbo. “With the MGM and Amazon buyout, I have no clue,” Vikander said. “Now it’s kind of politics. I think Misha and I have been ready, so it’s kind of in somebody else’s hands, to be honest.”

Tomb Raider fans can expect plenty of Lara in the coming years. The next time Tomb Raider emerges from a cave littered with trinkets and traps, it’ll be for a new game, TV series, and film. The search for a new actress to portray the iconic character is ongoing.

What do you think about Amazon Prime Video going all-in on the Tomb Raider IP? Let us know in the comments below.