Alicia Vikander’s debut as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider wasn’t the best video game adaptation ever made, but it was far from the worst, either. The Academy Award winner was as reliable in the lead as you’d expect given her reputation, and she acquitted herself very well when it came to the action sequences.
As can often be the case with console-to-screen translation, it was the plot that let the movie down, but there was definitely potential for a multi-film series. Earning close to $275 million at the box office on a budget under $100 million certainly helped, but it’s been a slog trying to rev the sequel into life.
Ben Wheatley signed on before the pandemic, which ultimately saw him depart in favor of The Meg 2, with Lovecraft Country‘s Misha Green tasked as his replacement. In a new interview with Total Film, Vikander revealed that she’s in regular contact with her director, and they’re already plotting on how to up the ante with the set pieces.
“When the studio first said they were interested in a sequel, I got really excited. When Misha was mentioned to me and I saw the work on Lovecraft Country, I was extremely impressed. It’s so much fun on the Zooms I’ve had with Misha to finally sit with another woman my own age. I get to talk about big action set pieces and stunts that we want to make. I’m hoping that we get on track and get to do something together.”
Earlier this summer, Vikander admitted that the Tomb Raider sequel hadn’t been given an official green light by Warner Bros., but it’s surely only a matter of time if the star and director are continuing to brainstorm new ideas.