Tomb Raider is a video game franchise that continues to capture Hollywood’s attention. After Lara Croft became a cultural icon in the 1990s, it was inevitable that she would make her way to the big screen, with Angelina Jolie taking on the role in two films from 2001 to 2003. The video games later underwent a significant revival, leading to a film adaptation featuring Alicia Vikander in 2018.

Despite plans for a sequel to Vikander’s film being shelved, Tomb Raider is set for another live-action venture, this time with Game of Thrones‘ Sophie Turner stepping into Lara’s iconic green tank top for an upcoming Prime Video series. The 2018 reboot of Tomb Raider was a notable improvement over the Jolie films, and Prime Video may continue this positive trend. However, it appears that every live-action Tomb Raider adaptation has made the same oversight.

Tomb Raider Still Hasn’t Adapted The Games That Made Lara Croft Iconic

Angelina Jolie’s Tomb Raider duology took inspiration from the basic premise of the video games and the character of Lara Croft but abandoned much of the original content. Neither film had any narrative connection to the game series, instead introducing entirely new supporting characters and storylines. In contrast, Alicia Vikander’s Tomb Raider film loosely followed the reboot of the game released five years earlier.

While it remains unclear what story Prime Video’s Tomb Raider will tell, the inclusion of characters like Zip and Atlas DeMornay indicates that any video game influence will likely come from the later stages of the franchise.

After 25 years, live-action adaptations of Tomb Raider continue to overlook the narratives that originally established Lara’s fame, particularly those from 1996’s Tomb Raider and its sequel released the following year.

Tomb Raider & Tomb Raider II Are Perfect For The Live-Action Treatment

The original Tomb Raider game features Lara being hired by Jacqueline Natla, a resurrected ruler of Atlantis, who was imprisoned by her peers for her crimes. Lara races against rival explorer Larson to find pieces of the Scion artifact, uncovers Natla’s true identity, and ultimately defeats her after foiling her plan to create an army of Atlantean mutants.

In Tomb Raider II, Lara finds herself in a competition against the mafia to secure China’s legendary Dagger of Xian, hidden beneath the Great Wall. After the mafia prevails, Lara must confront a massive fire-breathing dragon armed with uzis that frequently run out of ammunition.

These thrilling adventures are what transformed Lara Croft into a household name. While some might argue that the plots of both Tomb Raider and its sequel lack depth for a movie or TV adaptation, they would be correct. However, it’s worth noting that creating original stories has not benefited these films thus far, as each cinematic attempt has fallen short of critical success.

The 1996 version of Tomb Raider introduced compelling villains, thrilling set pieces featuring dinosaurs and mutants, along with an intriguing mythological background. There is ample opportunity to expand on Natla’s storyline with additional subplots and richer character development to adapt that first game into a compelling feature film.

Similarly, the mafia antagonists and colossal dragon in Tomb Raider II represented high points that subsequent games struggled to surpass. The sequel also showcased numerous cinematic locations such as an opera house, an oil rig, a shipwreck, and a paranormal temple guarded by moving statues. There is enough content in Tomb Raider II for a live-action film or series to explore and enhance with supplementary material rather than starting anew with an unrelated script.

Let’s Be Honest About Why Tomb Raider Keeps Getting Remade

Nostalgia has undeniably played a significant role in sustaining interest in Tomb Raider over the past three decades, both within gaming and through various adaptations. Despite her successful reinvention in 2013, it is Lara Croft’s status as a ’90s icon that has perpetuated demand for more Tomb Raider content on screen. Sophie Turner’s retro portrayal serves as evidence of this trend.

While there is nothing inherently wrong with Prime Video’s <em>Tomb Raider</em> being inspired by nostalgic memories from the ’90s, it is perplexing that no one has chosen to adapt stories from that era. If nostalgia drives this project, nothing would excite audiences more than seeing Lara navigate Venice on a speedboat or battle a Tyrannosaurus rex.