Why Yes, a 'Tomb Raider' Reboot IS Happening
Filed under: Action, Deals, Celebrities and Controversy, Box Office, Remakes and Sequels
Tomb Raider is one of those franchises that always caused far too much angst. Both films were mediocre; neither was offensively bad. Neither was a monumental box office smash and neither was a flop. Yet there was constantly drama. I remember online critics crying foul over being shut out of the first film for some unfathomable reason. Angelina and AirbrushedNippleGate. People flipping out and calling Cradle of Life one of the worst movies of all time, or some such nonsense. Seriously: these movies aren't worth it. Everyone chill.In keeping with that attitude, I invite you to greet with indifference the following announcement: Tomb Raider is coming back. Without Angelina Jolie (and as far as we know without Megan Fox), and it's not clear when, but soon. Warner Bros. is rebooting the franchise (originally a Paramount property) along with Terminator: Salvation producer Dan Lin. The new film is billed as a "reimagining" that will be nothing like the originals. No director or star have been tapped, but apparently it's been decided that this cash cow hasn't been sufficiently milked.
With that I'll solicit casting suggestions and speculation in the comments. First person who says "Megan Fox" gets a wedgie.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-28-2009 @ 9:24AM
j said...
"Megan Fox" gets a wedgie.
Reply
1-28-2009 @ 9:46AM
KMF said...
I guess I am open to a reboot. Not a huge fan of the movies. They weren't bad, but sadly Daniel Craig was the best thing for me about the first movie. Had no interest in the second aside from U2's 'Elevation'. It's Angelina's version of Lara that sinks the movies for me. I really do not like her. She has zero chemistry with her co-stars. She's the reason that I don't own Tomb Raider on dvd.
That said, the Lara character is a great character and I'm ready to see someone else portray the movie version. I'll probably take a lot of heat for this but, many of the models who've portrayed Lara in the past (and the current Lara) were far more beautiful than Angelina.
I have no idea who should play her in a reboot. I think they should go with someone who's not quite well known, and actually British.
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1-28-2009 @ 12:42PM
Jackie said...
I agree 100%. An unknown British actress is the best way to go on this "reimage" of Lara.
1-28-2009 @ 9:46AM
Peter Hall said...
Dame Judi Dench.
Reply
1-28-2009 @ 11:06AM
dan said...
I would pay way more to see that movie.
1-28-2009 @ 9:53AM
j said...
My biggest problem was the believability factor. I can't help but compare it to Indiana Jones for a moment, but for me the most believable IJ's were the ones I liked the most. (Aliens? WTF???!) Same for the Tomb Raider series. Give it more of a believable plot line and I'm in.
Just once, I'd love to see a homeless superhero movie and not one based on someone filthy rich.
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1-29-2009 @ 3:55PM
Petro1734 said...
j,
First thing : Homeless superhero movie....pure gold : )
Next thing : (though not as important as the first thing) I keep hearing the "aliens ?? WTF?!?" and "not believable" criticism about Crystal Skull.
Do you really think that a magic box which houses rules from an invisible being written on stone tablets.....magic glowing rocks (from a different invisible being)...... and a magic cup that the offspring of the first invisible being uses during his last supper, that, by-the-way, also gives you everlasting life, but only if you hang out in the cave that it now resides in for all of eternity....is MORE believable than aliens ? Really ??
3rd thing : Homeless superhero movie.....still gold ; )
1-30-2009 @ 7:48AM
Jason said...
I think movies that deal with religious relics, despite the religion, are to a degree believable. I think this because most of the rest of the world believes in a higher power. Now some open-minded individuals may think that higher power is an alien, and they may be right, but the difference is that most of the characters in the Torah, Koran, and in the New Testament have been confirmed to have existed. Aliens still remain a myth.
As for the glowing rocks, I know nothing about Hinduism, so I am not qualified to comment. :)
1-28-2009 @ 9:58AM
Tom said...
I'd cast Eva Green in the roll. It sort of seems like a no-brainer, she looks just like the character.
That being said, I didn't have any problem with Angelina Jolie other than she overshadowed the character herself, as Elizabeth Rappe said in one of her articles. Though I think the overall quality of story and film making really need to be better if this new film is to succeed.
Of course, we should remember that the game franchise has been crap for years and Tomb Raider games were NEVER all that great in my opinion.
Reply
1-28-2009 @ 11:53AM
Kurt said...
Eva Green... I think I could get behind that idea.
While the games have never been great and haven't recently been good, it's important to remember that once upon a time Lara Croft was at least a fairly compelling character (even beyond her two... um... pistols). Bringing her a little closer to original games--which were actually about raiding tombs rather than whatever it is she does these days--would be a welcome treat. Spin it as a female Indiana Jones with extra moxy and fewer Nazis. Just a thought.
But since that's never going to happen, let's just hot-coffee-up the most recent game GTA-style, since that's all anyone seems interested in anyway.
1-28-2009 @ 9:59AM
cough said...
wow. I mean...
Wow.
Why?
Reply
1-28-2009 @ 11:14AM
Meredith said...
Maybe it's my Underworld Loyalty Psychosis talking, but why not Rhona Mitra? She IS Lara Croft, after all. It would only make sense.
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1-28-2009 @ 12:01PM
Ken said...
I bought the DVD of Tomb Raider, in the desperate hope it would be better upon a second viewing.
It wasn't.
The problem wasn't that Angelina overshadowed the character, the problem was there wasn't any character for her to play, so she played the same character she plays in almost every film, so we ended up with an Angelina Action Film instead of a Tomb Raider film. Twice.
The key to the games wasn't that there was a hot woman doing Indiana Jones stunts, it was that there was a hot woman doing Indiana Jones stunts that thousands of adolecent boys could take care of and be responsible for her success. A film, by definition, eliminates that connection and interaction. So the connection has to be built through back-story and character, which both previous Tomb Raider films failed to do.
This woman obviously has a serious death wish, is beyond reckless, and has a hair-trigger temper. She's clearly suffered some serious trauma as a child, and it was probably compounded and reinforced through events in her early years.
Give us a film that explores that, and does it in the setting of a tomb (it doesn't have to be a world-ending high concept), and you will hook all the fans who spent hours and days in front of their computers keeping poor Lara alive through her adventures.
Oh, and let Rhona Mitra play her. There isn't anyone else. Seriously.
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1-28-2009 @ 1:00PM
filmsuki said...
Gemma Atkinson - british accent, big breasts, A++ figure, B-list acting ability; perfect!!
Reply
1-28-2009 @ 2:17PM
seraphflux said...
I got two words for you, and in capital letters.
RHONA. MITRA.
They should offer her the role, and only if she refuses, they should go to someone else.
Reply
1-28-2009 @ 3:52PM
joits said...
when i heard this, my first reaction was that it was going to be a prequel and show how lara croft became the lara croft we all know... but it doesn't really specify that. i either want them to go with an unknown british actress or like the last few people have said... rhonda mitra. she's british, she's hot, she already played tomb raider, albeit as a model...
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1-29-2009 @ 12:01PM
Erin said...
I've heard a lot of talk about Rhona Mitra. I think she'd be a good person to fill the role. One of the comments above talks about a lesser known acttres, which I agree with fully. Having some big name actress will take away from this "new" storyline that they are trying to develop. Based on the movie reviews of the first two TR movies, I am not sure this one will fly over well, no matter who it ends up being.
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1-30-2009 @ 5:33PM
Mely said...
Well i am a fan of the game and the character perse. I agree with most people, Rhona Mitra should play the new role. After all the character WAS model after her. Besides i believe she prove herself as a strong ass-kicking female lead in the new Underworld: Rise of the Lycans.
The latest storyline of the game explores more of Lara's troubled past. The new production team should consider TR: Legend and TR: Underworld as a back story.
But again, that's just my opinion....
Reply
4-10-2009 @ 9:21AM
Dansone said...
You Warners trolls are ludicrous. The first Lara Croft movies with Angelina Jolie were highly well received. Angelina is what sold the movie to audiences. Daniel Craig having been in that movie is why anyone goes to his Bond movies. If you cast an unknown british actress Warners will need to pull another harry potter sized insurance box office scam for it to be a bankable movie in the eyes of its investors and shareholders. In short, it will become another Watchmen-sized disaster before every investors eyes.
If you want bankability and a solid, real box office return, then bring Angelina Jolie back for another spin. Otherwise, its an unbankable bust for all involved.
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