Last November, the news broke that Game of Thrones and Dark Phoenix star Sophie Turner had been tapped to play the new Lara Croft in Prime Video's planned Tomb Raider reboot.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny) had been announced as the show's writer several months before, and the TV series looked to be a priority for Amazon. Now, though, it sounds like it won't be happening after all.
According to a report from Mail Online, plans to start shooting Tomb Raider "in early 2025" have been scrapped. Waller-Bridge's scripts appear to be taking longer than expected, and according to inside sources, the show is now "dead."
Turner is now thought to be busy with other projects, prompting one person to say, "I hear that it is not going ahead."
Former Amazon Studios boss Jennifer Salke gave this Tomb Raider project the green light. She was responsible for a $100 million first look deal with the actress and writer that has produced relatively little for Prime Video beyond Fleabag.
Many video game fans weren't exactly enthused by the idea of Turner playing Lara; while she'd received rave reviews for her work in ITV's Joan, Tomb Raider would have marked her first foray into leading lady status for a major Hollywood project.
Angelina Jolie and Alicia Vikander previously played Lara Croft on the big screen, while Hayley Atwell has recently lent her voice to the hero in Netflix's Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft. In the games, Camilla Luddington, Keeley Hawes, and Minnie Driver have all played the character.
When Tomb Raider was given a series order, the live-action reboot was described as an "epic" and "globe-trotting" series by Salke. She later said, "Phoebe has a lifelong love affair with Lara Croft and as soon and very soon we’ll start the worldwide search for who will play this iconic role and I just can’t wait."
"If I could tell my teenage self this was happening I think she’d explode," Waller-Bridge added. "Tomb Raider has been a huge part of my life and I feel incredibly privileged to be bringing it to television with such passionate collaborators. 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."
Waller-Bridge's writing credits include the critically acclaimed Fleabag and Killing Eve. She also contributed to No Time to Die's script.
We'll be sure to keep you updated as we learn more about Amazon's Tomb Raider plans.