Sophie Turner set to play Lara Croft in Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s Tomb Raider series
Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner is in talks to take on an iconic character, Lara Croft.
The British actor is set to take on the role in Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s reboot series of the famous video game franchise, according to Deadline. She had been up against Lucy Boynton (Bohemian Rhapsody) for the role.
Turner will be filling some big shoes. Tomb Raider has previously been adapted for the screen twice, both times with Oscar winners.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Angelina Jolie played the character in two films, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider in 2001 and Lara Croft: The Cradle of Life in 2003 while Alicia Vikander made the 2018 reboot, Tomb Raider.
The first Lara Croft video game was released in 1996 and was centred on a British archaeologist who explores tombs and ruins from the ancient world.
The Tomb Raider series is the first project out of Waller-Bridge’s lucrative development deal with Amazon Prime Video.
It was confirmed in May and at the time, Waller-Bridge said in a statement, “If I could tell my teenage self this was happening, I think she’d explode. Lara Croft means a lot to me, as she does to many, and I can’t wait to go on this adventure. Bats ’n’ all.”
Amazon Studios boss Jennifer Salke said last month, as reported in Variety, “When we look at a long-term commitment to a creator like Phoebe, we’re so happy now that we retained her because she’s obsessed with and grew up playing Lara Croft/Tomb Raider.
“So the fact that she’s the creator and bringing this character to life, we think it’s going to be a huge franchise for us.”
Waller-Bridge, who created and starred in the acclaimed dark comedy Fleabag and was also brought on by Daniel Craig as a co-writer for Bond movie No Time to Die, will write and executive produce the series.
Turner is best known for her role as Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones and has also played the young version of X-Men character Jean Grey in X-Men: Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix.
Outside of the genre space, she has also been in series Joan and The Staircase, and movies including Do Revenge.
