With the release today of Square Enix and Crystal Dynamics’ high-profile reboot of the “Tomb Raider” game franchise, talk has turned again to the spin-off film franchise which has been sitting and gathering dust since the release of “Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life” ten years ago.
The game reboots the franchise (ala “Batman Begins,” “Casino Royale”), introducing a younger 21-year-old version of British archeologist Lara Croft. The story showcases how she started out as a frightened young woman who is forced to become a hardened survivor when she is shipwrecked on a dangerous island.
Rather than staying hands off, Crystal Dynamics is said to be working closely with GK Films to adapt the film which will follow the same style. Crystal Dynamics head Darrell Gallagher says: “They are working from this new take that we’ve given them. It’s a good partnership. We’re seeing the challenges through the same lens.”
He adds that: “It was important for both of us to have a cohesive version of the franchise. We didn’t want to see a film version that was a continuation of the old ‘Tomb Raider’ films.”
The original 2001 “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” starring Angelina Jolie made $ 275 million worldwide, however the 2003 follow-up “Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life” fell to $ 155 million despite slightly better reviews.
The new game has so far drawn excellent reviews with Metacritic scores in the high 80’s across all the major platforms.
Source: Variety
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