Tomb Raider Star Alicia Vikander Gives Update On Sequel's Status

The long-running game series Tomb Raider has been adapted for the big screen three times so far, the most recent being 2018's reboot movie starring Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft. The film was a box office success, and a sequel was announced in September 2019. Like many upcoming films, production has been delayed, but now Vikander has provided an update on the movie's status.

Speaking to Good Morning America, confirmed that Tomb Raider 2 was still happening. "The plan was for us to start making one this year, of course due to the [pandemic] situation, that's now very different," Vikander said, via Entertainment Weekly. "We're still in discussions about it, so I hope we can probably get to it next year."

The Tomb Raider sequel will be helmed by Kill List and Free Fire director Ben Wheatley, who takes over from the first film's director, Roar Uthaug. However, we're likely see two other movies from Wheatley before Tomb Raider 2 arrives. His remake of Hitchcock's classic Rebecca hits Netflix later this month, and this week, it was reported that he shot a COVID-19 themed horror movie in 15 days during quarantine.

This will be the fourth Tomb Raider film, but only the second in this particular incarnation. Angelina Jolie played the character in 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider and its 2003 sequel. Vikander's first outing as the character, which was based on the current video game series, made $275 million at the worldwide box office and was met with mixed reviews. In his review, GameSpot's Michael Rougeau called it "a pretty good action movie and a better than average video game adaptation," citing "smart story choices and a winning performance from Alicia Vikander."

For more, check out GameSpot's guide to the biggest upcoming movies of 2020 and beyond.