Deadline reports that English actress Sophie Turner (The Staircase, The Prince) is in negotiations to star as Lara Croft in Prime Video’s upcoming Tomb Raider series. The Game of Thrones alumna was among the actresses tested for the high-profile role, which included Mackenzie Davis (Station Eleven, Halt and Catch Fire) and Lucy Boynton (The Politician, Gypsy). Lara Croft was previously played on the big screen by Angelina Jolie (George Wallace, True Women) and Alicia Vikander (Irma Vep, Second Avenue).
The forthcoming Tomb Raider project, which Amazon MGM head Jennifer Salke (This Is Us, Modern Family) called “epic” and “globe-trotting” while announcing the series order back in May, has been a passion project for writer/executive producer Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Run, His Dark Materials). The Fleabag creator spoke fondly of the title character at the time of the pickup: “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.”
Lara Croft was recently voiced by Hayley Atwell (Agent Carter, Heartstopper) in Netflix’s animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. Turner, an Emmy nominee for her first major role as Sansa Stark on Game of Thrones, currently headlines the British crime drama limited series Joan and next stars in another British show, Haven, for Prime Video, home of the Tomb Raider series.
The Tomb Raider series will be executive produced by Waller-Bridge and Jenny Robins (Killing Eve, EastEnders) through Wells Street Productions, Dmitri M. Johnson (Rival Speak, Little Nightmares) through dj2 Entertainment, Michael Scheel (Achterbahn, Berlin Break) and rights holders Legendary Television as well as Crystal Dynamics. Amanda Greenblatt (One Mississippi, New Girl) and Ryan Andolina (Charlotte’s Web) are consulting producers under their Star Party banner. The series is a co-production between Crystal Dynamics and Amazon MGM Studios.
Turner is represented by CAA, Independent Talent and Hansen Jacobson Teller.