Since the initial wake ofTomb Raiderfor the PlayStation in 1996, bold English adventuress Lara Croft has remained a widely recognizable pop culture figure, easilyamong the most iconic video game characters of all time. Crystal Dynamics' series of games has endured for decades across numerous generations and platforms, most recently through the stripped-down, gritty “Survivor Trilogy” of the 2010s that released to high sales and widespread critical acclaim.
From Netflix and showrunnerTasha Huo(The Witcher: Blood Origin), the new anime seriesTomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft(starringHayley AtwellofAgent Carterin the titular voice role) picks up where the Survivor series left off, withthe heroine uncovering a supernatural mystery following a theft at Croft Manor. In this exclusive conversation withCollider, Huo discussesThe Legend of Lara Croft’s place within decades of legacy, and how the show updates the lore while honoring the past.
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“Who doesn’t love adventure? She’s an incredible action star.”
COLLIDER: I am a huge fan ofTomb Raider, especially the story line of the Survivor Trilogy thatThe Legend of Lara Croftcontinues. I really do think you captured the adventuring spirit of Lara here.
TASHA HUO: Oh, bless you. Thank you.
First and foremost, why do you think we’re sitting here talking aboutTomb Raiderand Lara Croft nearly 30 years after the first game?
HUO: Cuz she’s a badass, Sam [laughs]. I think the 2013 game and the Survivor series really jumpstarted her again for a lot of people. A lot of people had heard of Lara Croft, and just knew her as this busty babe who did cool feats of strength. The new games brought new people who became invested; there was more to her, and a journey that felt very human. Who doesn’t love a badass? Who doesn’t love adventure? She’s an incredible action star. She’s f*ckin' funny.I think the better question is why don’t more people know about her?[laughs]
‘Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft’: Everything You Need To Know About the Netflix Anime
The team behind ‘Castlevania’ is developing the anime series.
Last year, the BAFTAs named Lara Croft the greatest video game character of all time. Did you feel pressure to live up to 28 years of legacy?
HUO: Well, not until now, Sam, thanks very much [laughs]. No, I felt incredible pressure from myself, having been a fan for so long… was I going to be able to capture her the way I would be satisfied with, as a fan? I knew that if I could entertain and satisfy myself as a player, other people would be along for the ride as well.
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“Hayley herself really encapsulates that version of Lara.”
What can you tell us about what Hayley Atwell brings to Lara? It’s kind of a trip seeing such an iconic character embodied now by an actor who’s already an established action personality.
HUO: For sure. I think the answer is also about what makes the series unique. We’re this cool bridge between the Survivor series and whatCamilla[Luddington] did in bringing that humanity forward and making Lara extremely vulnerable, which was very cool, and then moving her into the classic Lara who’s extremely confident and witty, and puts up with no sh*t.Hayley herself reallyencapsulates that version of Lara, which feels right.
It worked to have a vulnerable and scared Lara in the 2013 prequel game, and, of course, fans of the series love the badass we first met in ‘96. There’s value in both, right?
HUO: Oh, sure. We all fell in love with thatfast-talking, quippy, really wry-humored woman. I absolutely want to bring that out of Lara.
Who Should Play the Next Lara Croft?
The release of Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft has put the franchise back into my brain. We already know that Phoebe Waller-Bridge is developing a live-action series for Amazon, although as far as we know, she’s not playing our favorite video game archaeologist. For as flawed as the Angelina Jolie movies were, I’ve always enjoyed her as the character. Especially as a fan of the franchise. I’m also a defender of the Alicia Vikander film.
However, I’m going to go with Florence Pugh. She has the charisma and she’s proven that she can do action. Plus she’s British! I have no idea what iteration of the video games that Waller-Bridge is going to go with. While I’d love to see a continuation of Vikander in the role, that seems unlikely. So Florence Pugh has my vote.
What made the Survivor Trilogy so compelling was that Lara wasn’t a killer to begin with. She had to save her friends, and discovered she could kill hundreds of men — very, very bad men, to be clear — with surprising ease.
HUO: [laughs] The trail of bodies that serial killer Lara leaves.
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“I consider her a hero, which is how the show portrays her.”
I’ve seen the first two episodes as of this conversation, and would say the show feels somewhat less violent than the admittedly extremely, graphically violent Survivor games.
HUO: I would say get to episode five, and then we’ll have a conversation [laughs].
In very recent years, there has been some debate about Lara and what she stands for. Do you consider her a hero or an antihero?
HUO:I consider her a hero, which is how the show portrays her. We were definitely aware of the modern takes on Lara, and it was important for everyone involved with the show that all that wasn’t ignored; while everyone involved in this project is a fan, andwe wanted to capture what we love about Lara, I know people are worried we took the grit out of who Lara was by modernizing it. I will assure you that’s not true.It feels exactly as you remember it, but it honors where we are in the world today.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croftis now streaming on Netflix in the U.S.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft follows the fearless adventurer as she embarks on a global high-stakes chase, confronting her traumatic past while unraveling an ancient mystery. The series delves into Lara’s unyielding determination and the challenges she faces in her quest.
