Sophie Turner, celebrated for her role in Game of Thrones, has been officially confirmed to embody the iconic character Lara Croft in the forthcoming Tomb Raider television series. This exciting announcement, originating from Amazon MGM Studios and corroborated by various industry outlets, effectively quashes earlier rumors that suggested Turner had stepped away from the project and that the series itself was no longer moving forward.
The production of the Tomb Raider TV series is scheduled to commence in January 2026. The project is being spearheaded by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, widely acclaimed for her creation of Fleabag, who is taking on the roles of creator, writer, and executive producer. She will be joined by Chad Hodge, known for his work on Single All the Way and Wayward Pines, as co-showrunner and executive producer. Jonathan van Tulleken, director of the recent hit Shogun, has also been brought on board as an executive producer and director for the series.
Waller-Bridge shared her immense enthusiasm in a statement, emphasizing the team`s deep connection to Lara Croft`s persona: “Everyone on board is wildly passionate about Lara and are all as outrageous, brave, and hilarious as she is. Get your artifacts out … Croft is coming …”
Turner herself conveyed her profound excitement about portraying Croft, acknowledging the formidable legacy established by her predecessors, Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander, who famously brought Lara Croft to life in previous film adaptations. Reflecting on the challenge, she commented on the “massive shoes to fill,” but expressed complete confidence in Waller-Bridge`s leadership, stating, “with Phoebe at the helm, we (and Lara) are all in very safe hands. I can’t wait for you all to see what we have cooking.”
The journey to greenlight the Tomb Raider series for Prime Video encountered some initial internal hurdles. The project was initially approved under the leadership of Jennifer Salke, the former head of Amazon MGM Studios, who reportedly maintained close oversight. Salke`s departure from the company earlier this year amid reports of a power struggle contributed to early uncertainties surrounding the series. Furthermore, insider reports indicated that the series had gone through multiple writers` rooms, accumulating development costs estimated in the tens of millions.
In a related development separate from the TV series, Amazon is also collaborating with Crystal Dynamics to publish the next Tomb Raider video game. Crystal Dynamics recently underwent layoffs following the cancellation of another project, Perfect Dark, but confirmed at the time that the new Tomb Raider game`s development was unaffected. This upcoming video game is not expected to have any narrative connection to the television series adaptation.